Children of Friends
by vampbirch
Summary: Who better to raise a child with than your best friend? "They want a kid. Together. No, not together-together. They want to be like Rachel and Ross." "I thought Rachel and Ross were together, though." "This is so confusing." A story about friendship and parenthood, love and other mistakes.
1. PROLOGUE

**Heyy there.**

 **So this is happening.**

 **Summary: Edward and Bella both decide that they want a child. The only problem is, neither feel that they would be comfortable raising a child with anyone they know. They are both too busy to commit to any sort of relationship, but the desire to have a child is still there. So, who better to raise a child with than your best friend?**

 **Disclaimer: SM owns these beautiful bastards. I just like to fuck with their heads.**

* * *

PROLOGUE

 _Bella_

"Oh my god," I felt my throat go dry as I stared down at the sweet powder-scented bundle of squealing joy below me. "She's so—"

"Fucking perfect," Edward finished.

Beside me, Edward, heavily coated for New York's brutal winters, hovered over the infant with a wide, curious, grin stretched across his face. He reached towards her scrunched face, watching her eyes as she became entranced by his long, pale, fingers. She made a high pitched squeak as Edward caressed her cheek. "You're just the sweetest thing in the world. Don't mind aunt Bella, she stares at me all the time."

I rolled my eyes. "Asshole."

"Hey!" My brother, Jasper, scolded me with a swift smack on my forearm.

I yelped aloud and turned to glare at him. "Is that really necessary? You're a father now, we're not in middle school anymore, asshole."

He conceded with a cocky, "Watch your mouth in front of the baby." I knew even Edward was rolling his eyes at this one. My brother was a bit of an overtly cautious, narcissistic ass.

The kid was cute though, I had to give Jasper that much. Although no doubt, it was Edward's sister who provided her with that attribute. Alice was stunning, though a little on the shorter side, but stunning nonetheless. Edward and her both shared the same dazzling shade of auburn hair, which Alice seemed to have passed down to my niece as well.

Although Jasper was still staring at her as though she were a shooting star, Alice did not look so stunning that evening. Her face was oily and unwashed, stress lines clearly visible along her sunken eyes. Her hair was a disarray, though she's attempted to hold it back with a ponytail, which was barely clinging onto three idle strands of hair on her left shoulder. I thought about telling her it was there, but thought better of it. She was easily stressed, and I didn't want to contribute to a new mother's frustration.

Instead, I settled for lithely lifting the pony tail and breaking off the strands of hair that clung to it before tossing the it to the side (it probably landed somewhere behind the changing table, I'm sure). My actions did not go unnoticed by either Edward or Jasper.

Edward chortled, while Jasper threw me an appreciating nod over Alice's shoulder.

Alice cooed down at my niece and Jasper gingerly placed his hand against his wife's shoulder before leaning in to kiss her temple. "She's so beautiful," he repeated, for the ten-millionth time that week. He gazed into her eyes lovingly and I felt bile rise in my throat, so I turned my attention back to the baby.

A small squeal echoed through the room, and Edward leaned down to pick up the baby from her crib. It was kind of silly looking, him like a beast holding a delicate, breakable, too-small-for-his-arms baby. He was so large, and the baby was like a small package on his right arm. I only imagined what his brother, Emmett, would look like holding his niece.

I was completely enraptured by the concept of this little hopeless, needy and greedy human being. She was so sweet and filled with innocence.

What she must have been thinking, I couldn't fathom. _She's at the least complex point in her life; subdued by her own ignorance,_ I thought to myself.

I clearly had not been around many children in my life.

Edward smiled at me knowingly. He knew how I felt about this, we'd discussed our reluctance about meeting her on the plane ride home. We were both thrilled by the concept of having a niece, but we were very unfamiliar with children in retrospect.

"She's your niece, Bella. You can stop being such a bitch and hold her now."

I scowled and watched Jasper's fingers clench around the railing on the crib. I imagined it was taking everything in his power to keep from slapping Edward on the back of his head with the baby in his hands.

His sister, however, had other plans.

Alice's hand flew out to smack Edward's forearm, the one adjacent to that holding that which held the child. He yelped out in surprise, but almost immediately rebutted. "Christ, you are so dramatic, Alice. Will you get over yourself? She isn't going to start saying 'fuck you' while she's fresh out of the womb."

I could barely contain my smirk, and I definitely couldn't contain my curiosity any further. So I reached out and took the baby out of Edward's arms while he was too busy glaring at his sister to notice.

My world lit up.

 _Ava,_ they had named her. I had never seen so much potential in another human being as I had when I first lain eyes on her. It fascinated me that this girl had what we all craved: a new beginning, a clean slate, and a whirlwind of possibilities for her future. It wasn't only fascination that I'd felt, but… love, too. Undoubtedly wholehearted _love._

I smiled as the tiny creature nestled her cheek to my chest, right near where I felt my heart begin to swell.

"Hello," I whispered softly. I reached out to touch her, running my fingers feather-lightly over her soft cheeks, her nose, across her plump lips. "I'm your aunt Bella. I know we've had a lot of conversations before this, but those were kind of one sided with you in your mother's womb and all…"

It was only then that I realized everyone had gone quiet. I looked up to see them watching me, Edward with an unreadable expression and Alice and Jasper more subdued.

Ava stretched against my arms, but it was barely enough movement to rustle around her swaddling blanket.

"I'm sorry I couldn't come see you in person earlier, I wanted to meet you first," I slipped my finger over the soft back of her hand and watched as she folded her fingers over my own. "But you surprised us when you came early. Edward and I have been planning this trip to St. Louis for a while."

"Yes, Ava." Edward appeared beside me. "We're going to take you to the Arch one day, you'll love it! St. Louis is absolutely stunning… in the right weather, sort of. The Arch is. The rest of St. Louis, eh."

"Maybe for her thirtieth birthday," Jasper growled, but Edward ignored him and leaned down to kiss the top of the baby's head.

"Don't listen to daddy," Edward shook his head, shaking her little hand in his. "He didn't know he'd move to New York, but then he met your mom and here he his… I'm going to spoil the crap out of you…"

"She already has an army of people ready to spoil the crap out of her, Edward. Can't you be the protective uncle or something? I think this is getting really…" Alice yawned. She craned her neck to Jasper, and widened her eyes as though it were the first time seeing him. "Hey babe," she spoke as though he had just entered the room. "I'm hungry."

Jasper smiled in an attempt not to laugh. "I'll make you something, come on."

"What about the baby?" Alice asked, looking around as if she'd forgotten we were here.

"Really? I'm not completely inept." I tightened my arms around Ava, purposefully stepping away from Edward. "She's our niece, she's safe with us."

"Ugh," she groaned, placing her palm over her stomach where her child was just growing. "Why does it make my stomach hurt when you say that?"

"Because Bella is a creep," Edward said with an eye roll. I couldn't flip him off at the moment, so I settled for sticking my tongue out him. "How sophisticated of you."

She took one last concerned look at me and the baby before tearing her attention from me to the door. Jasper pulled her from the room, leaving Edward and I alone with Ava.

"Edward, quit breathing on her!" I playfully back-handed his shoulder and took a step backwards. Edward raised an eyebrow, challenging me with a look. I tore my eyes away from his sparkling emeralds and looked down at the child. "I won't make you endure that, little Ava. I know his breath smells like corn nuts and ketchup."

"They were pistachios, you imbecile," he growled. "Now hand her over. This is my first time meeting her!"

"It's mine too, you selfish _prick-_ " I stopped as my brother appeared in the doorway, glaring at me. " _el. Prickle."_

He stared hard for a moment before turning around and retreating into the next room.

"Oh! Bella said a bad word," and before I could protest, Edward had the infant out of my arms and nestled in his own. Not wanting to play tug-of-war with a newborn, I settled for crossing my arms over my chest and pouting. "Your baby holding privileges are now revoked."

"That's hardly fair, Edward," I said with the flip of my hand. "Only three minutes ago, you were being reprimanded for your incessant vocabulary. You are so goddamn-"

"She's asleep," he frowned, ignoring what I had just said. "Wake her up, Bella, I want her to look at me."

"No," I hissed, trying not to laugh at his idiocy. "Let her sleep."

Edward scowled at me as he stepped forward to lay Ava down inside of the crib. He took a step back, staring down at her with some sort of awe-stricken expression. "She is…"

"She's cute," I nodded my head in approval. "And cuddly."

"You guys are the perfect godparents!" Alice's giggle came from behind us and we turned to look at her with a puzzled look on our face. She had a slice of cheese in her hand, and she looked kind of drunk. Or maybe parenting just did that to her, and that's what she was going to look like for the next eighteen years.

"Cute," Jasper stood beside her, eating a grilled cheese with a grin on his face. "You guys are going to be good parents one day."

I stared at my brother, wondering if it was possible that he could be delirious from his one hundred and sixty odd hours of parenthood.

But then, something happened. Something crazy… but really, it was not. I imagined my own little Ava. My own daughter, with my DNA and biological build-up.

I felt my heart tug at the thought.

I'd never been particularly against the idea of being a mother, but seeing Ava made me yearn for something entirely new to me, a desire so strange in my mind that it left me completely bewildered. Then, my mind drifted to my unhappily divorced parents and I shuddered at the thought; pushing it far into the back of my brain.

It was this reason that Edward and I were both still single, and living together in a small apartment just outside of Washington Square Park. We were single, striving towards wealthy, and we both seemed to struggle with the same level of problems surrounding our ability to commit to others, our families, and our professional success driven which by an overwhelming urge to have power. We didn't commit to others, we committed to our friendship.

Of course, there were some things that were unavoidable... sex, really. But we had that when we needed it too.

If we needed sex, I called Jake and he called Tanya.

 _But_ , when I felt lonely and needed someone to cuddle next to, I called Edward. If I needed someone to bitch to about work, I sat next to Edward and ranted for hours on end as he graded papers. Our friendship was so perfect, the imperfections were deemed unimportant.

That is, of course, if you take away the desire. I have narrowed this down to the fact that Edward is a man, and I am only human.

I was sure he caught me ogling him on multiple occasions. Once, I remembered, him stepping out of the shower with a towel wrapped around his waist, watching the steam rising from his overheated skin. I felt my jaw drop, and my mind reeled with fantasies of licking the beads of cooling water off of chest—feeling his pectoral muscles tensing under my tongue.

I had picked my drooling jaw off of the floor as Edward smirked at me with that cocky fuck-me-now, winning grin of his.

Yes, I had the mind of a dirty whore with a masters degree.

However, despite those strong waves of desire that came and passed between us, we were as perfect as friends could be. We truly had the ideal understanding, we respected the value of what friendship means without having sex to complicate us.

I, and Edward would feel the same, was not willing to compromise our friendship over sex. No, I _wouldn'_ t. Even if he begged (not that he would), I wouldn't have. Although my mind drifted to the bigger possibilities, I was much smarter than that.

Desires are short-lived and surpassing, but friendship is timeless and invaluable.

People wondered about us-even our own parents questioned the status of _our_ relationship. But, as always, we'd answer: "We're friends."

Even now, as Edward hugged me close to his side with his sister and my brother as an audience; I wondered if they bought it. It was the truth, but I was sure even our most trusted confidants did not believe us when we had told them we weren't together.

I had known Edward for ten wonderful years. We ran into each other during our freshman orientation at NYU, and we had been inseparable ever since. Jasper, my younger brother, was only visiting me at college when he met Alice, my roommate at the time. He moved to New York only a year later, and they married just months after that. Their brother, Emmett, and my sophomore year roommate, Rosalie, met and married soon after as well.

In a way, we were truly like our own little family. We'd created our home away from home in the heart of New York.

And then there were seven us…

"We're um," Jasper paused, as if he was thinking about what he was going to say. "We're just going to go to bed… so, if you want to just let yourself out…"

We didn't get a chance to respond before their backs were turned to us, and they were retreated into their own room. I snickered and Edward rolled his eyes before looking down at me with a smile. He wrapped his arm around me and squashed my head into an awkward hug. "It's Friday."

I shoved him away from me to flatten out my hair. "It is."

Edward held his arm out to me. "Let's go get a beer."

I looked back once at Ava, not wanting to leave her side.

I couldn't believe myself, how quickly I'd grown so protective over some child that wasn't even mine. Or maybe it was that… yearning, hollowness inside of me, which I seldom paid any attention to, that made me feel so disheartened in that moment.

I quickly dismissed the thought. _No, Bella._

I laced my arm with Edward's, turning my back to Ava's room. "Let's go."

* * *

 **AN: hello again :) Please, _please_ leave me your thoughts. I know there wasn't much dialogue yet, but I wanted to clear a few things up before we begin the first chapter.**


	2. Chapter 1

**AN: hey there. I just watched Gimme Shelter. I couldn't stop crying.**

 **Any good tear-jerkers suggestions? Books or movies?**

 **Disclaimer: SM owns. I just have the characters make crazy decisions.**

 **Please excuse my errors. This story is beta-less.**

* * *

 **4 Years Later.**

"Excuse me, you're in my bubble."

"Excuse the fuck out of me, I didn't know you had a bubble."

"I didn't know English professors possessed such a filthy vocab."

"And I didn't know thirty-three year olds had bubbles."

"Will you stop touching my areola?"

"That was my weenis, Bella. I can't help it if my weenis grazes your areola," Edward was silent for all of twenty seconds. "I hate Greenwich Village."

I laughed, unable to disagree with him. I kept my footsteps long and my head high as we dodged people along the street, keeping my coat tightened around my body as the winter winds grazed my neck. "We're only here for the beer."

"We should move."

"We should."

"We shouldn't move."

"We shouldn't."

"Look, there's Cranky," he pointed out the homeless clown we pass every time on our way to the bar. The man was sitting on a pile of garbage bags, smoking a cigarette, with his clown-nose intact and a yellow trench coat hanging from his shoulders. Yes, he was quite literally a clown. "Why don't we ever say hi to him?"

"Because we aren't those people, Edward."

"What people?"

I sighed. "The kind of people who say hi."

"What, are we above saying hello?" he asked as we crossed the street, dodging both people and traffic. People yelled, cabbies screamed and honked their horns, dogs barked, and we were nearly oblivious to all of it. New York City had a funny way of desensitizing us. "He's a human. You're a human. We're all stuck on this shitty planet together, let's be a little gracious to one another."

"I like this planet," I disagreed. "I hate this city."

"Me too."

"We should leave."

"We shouldn't."

"We shouldn't." We stopped in front of the bar, and I pulled off my gloves to put them in my coat pockets. "Okay, please don't be mad."

Edward's crystalline-green eyes narrowed for a moment before he nodded in agreement. "What's going on?"

A smile twitched at the corners of my lips. "Happy Birthday."

I pushed the door open, and stepped inside, bracing myself to be bombarded with a rush of screams. "HAPPY BIRTHDAY!"

"Holy crusty balls," Edward said from behind me. He put his hand on my back and grinned widely. "You did all of this for me, sugar plum? Oh my shit, is that my parents?!"

I laughed as Edward rushed across the bar to hug his mother, who resided in Arizona and could hardly ever make it out to NYC. I had called Esme months prior when planning this little surprise party for him, and she wanted to be here for her son. Esme only ever came to New York anymore for her grandchildren, because she had so many of them and not enough time to visit everyone.

I looked around the bar and smiled when I spotted Rosalie by the bar with Charlotte, Emmett sitting alone at an adjacent table, but no Alice and my brother. I knew they were probably still at home with our grandfather, Thaddeus, prepping Ava and Lillian to go to bed so that they could come here.

Our friend, Charlotte, offered for her daughter, Maggie, to watch them, but… I wasn't having any of that.

Maggie was thirteen years old, and she was undoubtedly the brattiest child on the planet. She had a mother, Charlotte, who loved her, and a father, Peter, who bought her anything and everything she could ever want.

I understood what it was like to be a child of divorce, and maybe I had hoped that we would be able to bond over our mutual post-divorce childhood issues.

All of our friends had children. Fifty percent of them were divorced, which Edward and I found disheartening and predictable.

But over the years, Maggie had grown to dislike me. She just had this evil, devil-fire flaring blaze in her eyes every single fucking time someone asked her a question.

 _"Hey Maggie, what grade are you in now?"_ Death glare.

 _"Hey Maggie, do you have a boyfriend yet?"_ Curved-lipped death glare.

 _"Um. So, hey Maggie, will you pass me the ketchup?"_ Snarling death glare.

I would never admit it, but maybe I was a little intimidated by Maggie, just a little. Maybe I told Jasper and Alice never to let her near their kids, because she was an evil little bitch. But, even if I did, I would have never admitted that to Peter or Charlotte.

I found myself sitting next to Emmett, of all people, who wasn't even drunk and, yet, he was shittier than everyone else in this room.

Edward looked so happy to have all of his friends and family gathered around him, and I was thrilled that I could do this one little thing for him after all of times he'd done for me. Edward was my knight in shining armor time and time again. He was my best friend and all a girl could ever ask for. The least I could do was ask his friends and family to be here today.

Two beers and a shot of some strange liquor he pushed my way later, Emmett nodded his head towards Edward. "Don't get married, Bells. Don't ever tie your balls to someone else's, got that? You keep that golden cooter of yours on a pedestal and don't let anyone fuck with it."

I bit back a smile and nodded slowly, furrowing my brows in confusion. The drunker side of myself told me to smile, while the sober side battled with concern for Edward's brother.

 _What crawled up his ass?_

I followed Emmett's gaze to Rosalie, and I couldn't understand where his bitter expression transpired. Rosalie looked thrilled to here, hugging Edward and laughing along with our drunk friends, while Emmett looked almost... murderous...?

I cleared my throat, trying to gain his attention. "What's going on, Emmett?"

He shook his head, as though he were dismissing his thoughts. He looked at me and forced a smiled. "You are good, you know that? You have it so good-"

"I am so so sorry that I'm late," Alice's exhausting voice breezed into my right ear, and I cranked my neck to see my best friend pulling her breasts together in her bra. "You two, just sit tight and keep a lookout for me."

"What?" I laughed while Alice apparently relieved some sort of pressure on her boobs. She sighed aloud and cracked a smile.

"Breast milk," Emmett told me, like it was a simple answer. "You need to pump."

Confused, I looked to Alice and suppressed a laugh as she righted her bra. "Nope, I'm good."

Emmett tapped his watch, giving his sister a disdainful look. "You can't drink and feed Lillian in time, Alice."

"Shit," Alice sighed, sliding her bag over her shoulder. "He's right. I should-"

"You have to go?!" I nearly screamed. "You just got here!"

Alice's face fell as she looked between either of us. "I'm sorry, guys-"

"You couldn't have just hired a normal sitter, like the rest of us?" Emmett sat up straight. "If I'm here, you can be here too. I have three kids at home. Lill would have been fine, Alice, and you know it. The kids are fucking fine, don't make shitty excuses."

My eyes bugged out of my head as Alice crossed the distance to get in his face. I looked around the bar to make sure no one was watching them. Everyone seemed pretty distracted. "What happens in my home," she pointed to herself. "Is my business, Emmett. You have no say in who watches my kids, when I pump my fucking tit, or how much I fuck my husband, for that matter. Just like I have no say in whatever the fuck it is you do with your time when you're not being a father."

I froze, unsure of what to do.

 _That escalated quickly._

Emmett, however, was none the wiser of this situation. He simply kept his eyes narrowed on his sister as he brought his drink to his lips.

As if nothing happened, Alice turned to smile at me. "I can stay for a bit," she rubbed my shoulder. "Of course I will, don't worry. Like I wouldn't be here for my brother's birthday," she shot Emmett a glare before turning her back to me. "I'm going to get a drink."

Rosalie and Edward walked over to us then, and I smiled as Edward kissed my cheek. "You're amazing, you know that? You always surprise the fuck out of me, Swan."

I sighed, feigning nonchalance. "That's what they keep telling me."

"How're the kids?" Rosalie asked. "Did you call Maggie?"

Emmett shook his head. "Twingers are fine. The girl is good."

"Stop calling my kids that!" Rosalie scolded, slapping his arm.

"Your kids? Oh, they're your kids now, Rosalie?" He laughed in her face. Edward and I tensed up, as we figured a fight was about to go down. "Go figure, as soon as you need something from me, they're your kids."

"What does Twingers mean?" Edward butted in.

Rosalie craned her neck to us and cracked a smile. "Emmett calls the boys 'Twingers'. Because they're twins, and they're gingers."

I palmed my cheek for Emmett, while Edward coughed into his hand. "Emmett, bud, what's your problem tonight?"

"I have not a fucking problem to complain about, brother," Emmett grinned and hopped off of the stool. He patted Edward's back. "Happy birthday, you old motherfucker."

Edward sighed aloud as Emmett walked past, watching as he headed towards the bar to talk to his mother. He looked at me and I composed a smile, while Rose took the empty spot next to me.

"I am so white-mom-wasted right now, and I don't even want to look at his stupid face," my friend slurred. "Don't worry about us, guys. Emmett has an attitude, what else is new?"

For as long as I've known Rosalie, I've never seen her as this person. She's always the last word in any argument, drunk or not, and I knew she was probably drinking herself silly for a reason.

Still, we didn't push it.

So we drank, and we talked.

And we drank some more, and we talked some more.

Because we were all best friends, and we were inseparable, it was almost impossible not to have a good time.

Emmett put his big boy pants on, and he sat down while all of us had a drink together.

Esme and Carlisle did a shot with us, and they didn't even make a fuss about it. Carlisle didn't even protest when I dragged him over to the jukebox to dance to Elton John's Tiny Dancer. Esme cried to me about how grateful she was that Edward had someone as reliable as me to count on to throw him surprise parties and cook him dinner every night, because he can't cook himself for shit.

Over the mix of all of the chaos, the dancers and the cryers, the laughers and the dicorvees who were pulling themselves together enough to be civil to one another for Edward's sake; my eyes always managed to find Edward's. Sometimes he winked, and sometimes he smiled. But I always got something out of him that someone else didn't at the time.

And by the time everyone had gone, it was only one o' clock and Edward wasn't merely as drunk as I had hoped he would be. But it didn't even matter, because he was still smiling and happier than I ever could have wished for him tonight.

So on the walk home, while I insisted that we should get a cab, Edward wanted to walk. We walked hand-in-hand about Greenwich Village, and Edward recalled all the things that happened tonight. I listened to everything he had to say, laughing and nodding along to each story he had to tell.

"Of course Emmett had to pay up." And "Alice fell on her ass, twice." And "My mom called me Steve Carrell. She said I'm going to be like the guy from 40-Year-Old Virgin."

"Oh, that's awful. I hope you told her you're not a virgin."

"She said that it doesn't matter," he laughed anyway. "I need a wife and kids. I don't need a marriage to make my life complete. I couldn't help it, Bella. I called her crazy. For years she's been hassling me on this. I told her the truth. That I don't need some legal document binding me to some stranger I'm going to resent in five years. I told her that I have you. You're all I could ever ask for."

I couldn't help but smile. "I'm glad."

"Well, there is one thing…"

"What?" I laughed again. "You want me to have sex with you?"

His face paled. "God, no. Well… no. You're beautiful though. To say I'd enjoy having sex with you would be putting it mildly, but that would completely alter the dynamic of our friendship."

Although I was in my thirties, I blushed anyway. "Edward, I was kidding. And I'm still with you on that marriage idea. It's corrupt."

"But we still do it," he pursed his lips thoughtfully. He set his gift bags on the stairs and took a seat. I joined him and waited for him to continue. "Bella, do you ever…"

I waited, curious.

Edward was never one to be shy about something he wanted, so his trepidation here had me intrigued. I waited for minutes, but he was still stalling.

"What is it?" I laughed nervously. "Edward, come on, you're scaring me."

He laughed then, and I felt myself exhale a breath I didn't realize I was holding. "I just… I know I'm supposed to want those things. I'm supposed to want marriage, and a house, and kids and all of that. And I do want to procreate, I still have that biological need."

"You want kids?" I asked, with furrowed brows. "Yeah, I mean, I do too someday. Soon...ish."

"I know you do, but…" he bit his lip and shrugged. "I'm thirty-five, Bella. I have yet to come across another human being who I can bear the thought of settling down with. And when I think about having a kid with someone, I know I'd just be nothing more than a child support check when push comes to shove."

"True." I couldn't disagree with him there. Edward had yet to meet someone who he didn't have a problem with long enough to sustain some sort of relationship with. He blamed it on his work-life, but really, he couldn't connect with women. Well, except for me. "It's hard enough to have a kid, but to factor in marriage? It sort of blows the whole parenting process out of the water. I mean, look at Peter and Charlotte. They married after they found out about Maggie, and now..."

"They complicated it with the relationship. They hate each other. And now they can't be there for Maggie, together, like they should be," Edward nodded. "I want to have a kid, but without all of that."

I pursed my lips thoughtfully. "You don't want a mother for your kid."

His response was immediate. "No! Of course I do!"

I popped a piece of gum in my mouth. "Explain yourself, Professor."

He sighed. "I want to be a dad. I want to have a kid. But I want to have a kid with someone I have a strong relationship with, who I know won't let me or the kid down or cause any of the unnecessary drama that parenthood usually comes with. You know?"

I nodded carefully. "I do."

"So I guess what I'm saying is... like, with a friend."

I lifted an eyebrow. "Like... me?"

"Exactly like you," he sucked his bottom lip into his mouth almost as soon as the words left his mouth. After a moment of studying my expressionless face, he nodded carefully. "Um... well, yes. You, Bella. I want to have a kid with you."

Although it was hardly the time, I laughed anyway. "What, you... you're serious?"

He nodded, watching me with careful eyes.

I barely missed a beat before I replied. "You want to have a kid together?"

His lips twitched. "Well, yeah. I'm not drunk, I swear. It makes sense in my mind, you know? I know you might think that the idea has disaster written all over it, but..."

"Its kind of genius," I admitted wryly. "Who better to raise a child with than your best friend?"

"Yes!" He let out a breathy, nervous sounding laugh. "It's crazy, but genius. I mean, we live together. So our living arrangement wouldn't be an issue. We've always lived together."

"There wouldn't be some sort of custody agreement."

"No," he nodded. "And we could still see other people."

"But not bring them around the baby. No offense." The thought of that hooker, Tanya, he'd been with a couple of years entered my mind. I imagined her holding my baby and shuddered.

"Right, of course not," his eyes narrowed. "Well, of course there'd be details to sort out."

I blanched. "A bunch."

"Naturally."

"Tons."

"Hundreds. It's a huge commitment."

"It's insane."

"As anyone who decided to have a kid is."

My mind raced. My heart sped. A lump formed in my throat. I reacted as anyone getting ready to make an irrational decision, only was it really irrational? Or could this be plausible? Was it possible to have a kid with your friend?

Of course it was. People did it everyday.

But the thought of his idea had already hooked itself into my brain years ago.

Finally, I voiced my opinion.

"We could... we could do this."

He didn't miss a beat. "Oh, Bella. I don't doubt it. With you, anything is possible."

* * *

 **AN: Thoughts? I know Emmett is a jerk, and Bella and Edward seem a little insane. That's the idea though. Hehehe :P**


	3. Chapter 2

**Hello! Thank you, thank you, thank you for your support in that chapter there :P I needed that. I've been driving myself crazy with Jilted, so my brain really needs a less-angsty place to go and write.**

 **Oh, by the way, there's some angst in here.**

 **Disclaimer: SM owns.**

 **Chapter song: Simple song-The Shins**

 _"My life in an upturned boat, marooned on a cliff_  
 _You brought me a great big flood_  
 _And you gave me a lift"_

* * *

 **Two weeks later.**

 _What the hell is that smell?:_ That was all I could think as my friends laid into me.

"This is insane!" Rosalie's scream was eardrum-piercing. "Tell me you're joking!"

"This is fucking crazy," Alice mumbled into her hands. "I love you guys, but... did you take some pills? Drop some acid?"

"They're clean. Insane, but sober," Emmett said, looking up to us apologetically. "I mean, it is pretty bizarre."

"Emmett, are you..." Alice hunched forward to sniff Emmett. "Are you high? Why do you smell like that?"

"What?" Emmett furrowed his brows, and I noticed his eyes were a little glossy.

"He is," Alice scoffed. "You always have a ten second delay whenever you get high."

Emmett looked at her for a moment. And then another, before he opened his mouth to say, "No, I don't."

"You do realize this is probably the worst thing you'll ever do?" Rose said.

"Not necessarily," my brother's voice was the soft, understanding, one of reason.

Rosalie... that bitch, though I loved her stubborn ass, was unrelenting.

"Literally, the worst fucking idea you've ever had. Bella, are you serious? This isn't a fucking game. You know that, right? Parenthood isn't all fun and fucking games," Rosalie was predictably, understandably, livid. She looked between Edward and I with a menacing snarl. "It's hard work. It takes patience, and time, and commitment. It takes a team-"

"I think that's what they're trying to say, Rose," Jasper interrupted.

We stood side-by-side in the center of the living room, fingers locked and our expressions held patient as she continued to shake her head in vehement disapproval.

Our friends sat across from us, Rose on the armrest beside Emmett, who held Emmy, Jasper and Alice beside them, holding Lillian. "Rose, we aren't taking any of this lightly. We are being thorough."

"Thorough!" Rose screamed, jumping off the couch. She threw her hands in the air. "How thorough are you two idiots-"

"Rose!" Emmett boomed, causing Emmy to whimper in distress.

"I like the idea."

We all turned to Jasper. Edward cracked a smile, and I sighed out in relief that we had my brother's support in all of this.

Edward and I knew we weren't going to gain our friend's approval on this certifiably insane-to-most idea immediately, and we were comfortable with that so long as we could work out the details. We could figure it out, as long as we decided everything according to what was in the best interest of our maybe-baby. We figured Rose would have an outburst, because... well, Rose usually has a conniption fit about most things.

I mean... who does this kind of thing?

We did, obviously.

We had been talking about this non-stop for weeks. And while my fear grew, so did my anticipation. Night after night, Edward and I talked. And talked. And we Snap Chatted, because apparently we're teenage girls.

We even confronted each other with our random concerns.

 _"What if there's two of them?" I asked as I got home Friday night. "Yo_ _u know, because Emmett hit Rose with a double whammy."_

 _He looked up from his laptop and laughed. "I think it'd be fine, Bella. There's two of us, and the Twingers are fun. Besides, if they're anything like their mother, we shouldn't have too much trouble."_

 _I flopped down on the couch beside him. "You're boasting my ego."_

 _He pushed his glasses up on his nose. "And you, my dear, are going to give us beautiful offspring. Check this out." He turned the laptop to reveal some odd looking creature who seemed to have a mixture of Edward and my facial features._

 _I yelped. "Edward, that thing looks unworldly scary. Like demonic."_

 _He frowned. "I used our graduation photos to create a baby-Well, we don't know for sure that he-she'll look like that. But look, those lips," he pointed to the screen, and grinned up at me. "Those are all you, baby. Nice."_

 _I laughed._

I was going to have a _baby._ I was going to have all that I could ever want, and I was going to do that with Edward.

Edward. My best friend. My roomie. My closest confidante. My brother from another mother. My wing-man.

My gonna-be baby daddy.

How could I _not_ be thrilled?

Mind you, I wasn't boarding the baby train for just Edward. I wanted a baby. And I feared... My tickets were going to expire...?

There was no reason to wait. My child would have a mother _and_ a father.

"It might not be so stupid," Alice conceded with small, carefully observant, eyes cast in our direction. "So you aren't... together?"

"No," Edward shook his head.

Jasper cleared his throat, rubbing his hand over Alice's back. "They want a kid. Together. No, not together-together. They want to be like Rachel and Ross."

Alice frowned. "I thought Rachel and Ross were together, though."

"This is so confusing," Rosalie palmed her forehead, her lips pursed in frustration. "I think I'm having an aneurysm."

"We just know how hard it is to raise a kid," I began.

Emmett raised his hand to cut me off. "Say no more, you have my vote."

Rose snapped her head to him, her expression bewildering. Edward shifted with discomfort and cleared his throat, and I frowned. "This isn't _up_ for a vote."

"It isn't," Edward said. "This is an adult decision, Rose, that Bella and I made under the mutual understanding that we are both going to do what's in the best interest of our child. We are doing this with or without your blessing."

I felt butterflies patter throughout my stomach at the way he spoke of our maybe-baby. I gave Edward a small smile and he took a step back until his fingers grazed mine. I slipped my fingers through his and hugged them for support, finding the small gesture comforting.

Rose looked between either of us for a moment before she hopped away from the couch. "Okay, then. You two idiots think you have this thing figured out. I have a question for you."

"I am not surprised." Edward crossed his arms over his chest to mimic her stance. I couldn't help but crack a smile, because now he was just acting silly.

"Tell me, Edward. What happens when Bella falls in love and decides she wants more than this little fantasy you have going through your head? When she wants to start her OWN family. What happens to the baby then? Huh? Tell me what happens when you wake up and realize there's more to parenthood than this playhouse dream."

I almost applauded her bravado.

"Rose, we already know this isn't going to be a cake-walk," I insisted. "But we already agreed that if either of us were to want something more-"

"We'd have an arrangement," Edward finished. "We know what we're doing, Rose. It's called compromise."

Rose looked at me _. "Parenting_ isn't a fucking cakewalk."

"And we are more than aware," I pointed to the bundle in Alice's arms and smiled. "But we still want to do it. At least once. While we're young, and somewhat, sort of, healthy... And that's what's so great about our arrangement."

"We split the work, fifty fifty," Edward told them, taking my hand in his again.

"How is that going to work?!" Rose exasperated, with her classic bitch-brows quirked. "You live in the same apartment!"

"Actually, I live down the hall now," Edward sighed, looking at me knowingly.

I looked to Alice with a sorrow, tear-filled eyes. "Mrs. Louisa died."

Her face dropped, her bottom lip quivering. "No! The one with the cats? Oh my goodness."

I sucked in a deep breath and held it as I recalled all of the wonderful moments I had with Mrs. Louisa. Baking blueberry muffins for her grandkids, feeding her cats when she got shingles, watching her attempt wheelchair-tap-dancing.

She was on Broadway.

Rosalie did the sign of the cross and nodded. "For Mrs. Louisa, and the infants in the room, I am going to attempt to control my volume," she lowered her voice to a whisper. "What about the baby? Does he or she sleep in the fuckin' hallway until one of you hears her? Or is that just up in the air."

"Nothing about this is up in the air, Rose," Edward sighed. "For the first year, because that's how long I agreed to stay in Mrs. Louisa's old apartment," he did the sign of the cross.

"God bless her soul," Emmett nodded, patting Emmy on the back.

"We split the parenting fifty-fifty. Three nights, the baby is with me. Three nights with Bella."

Rose looked between us. "And the seventh night? Is that Jesus' night, or does baby-to-be get mommy _and_ daddy on that night."

I forced myself to smile. "Yes and no. Well alter Sunday's."

"It's brilliant," Emmett nodded, smirking at us. "You guys are going to be great at this parenting shit. Don't doubt it. But are you going to, uh..."

We waited for him to go on.

And waited.

And waited.

Until Edward went, "Oh! You mean, are we going to do this the old fashioned way?"

Emmett flashed him a knowing smirk.

Jasper and Alice looked to me curiously, while Rosalie seemed indifferent about retrieving this tidbit of information.

"It's actually pricey to, um... have the doctor," I gestured to my lower half, because I was the most awkward thirty-something year old on the planet. "So we are."

Emmett nodded thoughtfully. "I see," he stood up from the couch, passing Emmy to Jasper. "Rose, can I have a word? Please. In the kitchen."

Rose held my gaze as she followed Emmett into our kitchen. I looked back at Alice and Jasper and smiled.

Rose didn't bitch anymore when she came back, minutes later. I wondered what he'd said to subdue her.

* * *

 **Two days later.**

"Oh Bella," my mother palmed her cheek as she lifted her nightly glass of Asti to her lips. "This is the best fucking news I've heard in years. I mean, wonderful."

Beside me, my father dropped his beer in the kitchen trash can. The heavy thudding of the empty bottle rattling around the trashcan made me jump.

"Renee," Charlie leaned in front of me to look into the computer. Of course my father had no concept of camera vision, and he had not the slightest clue that all Renee could see was his forehead. "You seriously approve of this?"

I could hear my mother's laugh. "Approve?! Charlie, she's an adult! She can do whatever she wants. Bella is allowed to have children just as her brother has. She doesn't have to subject herself to societal norms."

I smiled, grateful that I had such a supporting mother. Charlie's reaction had been subdued up until this moment, when Renee voiced her excitement over a Skype video chat.

 _"Societal norms?!"_ he huffed. "Since when has-"

"Edward will be such a good father," I heard her sigh. "I'm so excited, honey!"

Dad finally pulled away then, puffing his cheeks out. "Where is the silly bastard at anyway? Shouldn't he be here, delivering the news with you?"

I shook my head. "We decided to tell our parents separately. I didn't want Edward getting ambushed with questions and insinuations, and he didn't want me to feel so welcome by his mother that I felt tempted to move to Arizona and never see you again."

Charlie sucked his teeth, popping open another bottle of beer. "He teach you that quick-wit tongue, too?"

I kept my smile composed. "I learn sarcasm from the best, Charlie."

He sighed aloud. "This is so strange, but... I'm happy for you, Bells. Just do me a favor, please."

I dropped my smile and nodded carefully. "Anything, dad."

He took my hand and chugged his beer, the classic Charlie affectionate way. He burped loudly and looked at my mother, who was too busy comprising a text to look up at the screen to us anyway. She was probably telling everyone in her contacts about the baby-to-be.

 _My name is Bella Swan, and I'm the product of a lush and a gossip whore_.

"Just make sure that this is what you want," Dad searched my eyes. "It's not too late to back out."

After a moment of letting his words sink in and muster, I nodded. "I'm sure."

To say I was terrified would be putting it mildly, but there were no doubts. I was sure. I had covered all of my bases; _I knew_ the consequences of this decision that I was making.

He smiled after a moment of assessing my face. "Alrighty, then. Give me another grandbaby to spoil."

* * *

 **2 Weeks Later.**

"I'm glad we could work this out," Rose lifted her glass to tap it against mine. "I'm still a little cluster-fucked, but I'm glad."

Rose had come over so that we could have one last hooray before the big insemination process. I didn't try to invite Alice, or even Edward. I sort of wanted Rose to myself, even if she had been a super bitch.

I leaned back on the couch,bringing my drink with me. "Oh?"

She nodded, watching me with uncharacteristically soft eyes. "You're finally doing something that you want. You're chasing after the vision you want for your future and whatnot and I can respect that, to a degree. I'm still a little, um... concerned," she folded one leg over the other. "But I'm still happy. For you."

I blanched. "What, for real?" I sighed out in exasperated relief. "Well, thank god for that."

She waved a dismissive hand. "Don't get all emotional on me now. This is huge. And you're actually going to put Edward's penis inside of you? I think that thought is more terrifying than the parenting part."

I snorted. "I'm not scared."

She cocked an eyebrow, a smirk growing under her glass of champagne. "Really? So you're not at all freaked out by the idea that..."she made a crude hand gesture with her glass.

I smirked. "Uh..." I didn't know what to say.

Rose suddenly went into hysterics. She bent over the couch, laughing so hard that her mouth was silent and her stomach was racked with giggles. She looked up at me through teary lids and slapped the couch. "I'm sorry-" she gasped. "I'm sorry. I knew it."

I furrowed my brows. "Excuse me?"

She righted herself and attempted to control her laugh before answering me. "You want to take a ride on Edward's disco stick, don't you?!"

My jaw slacked, and I found no words to match my humiliation. "Dude, _no!"_

She laughed even harder. "Listen to you, 'dude, no'. Are we in high school? Look at your face, Raggedy Ann, you totally want to!"

I couldn't help it, I laughed a little.

"See?!" She gasped. "Honestly," she leaned in, like we were in a room full of people and I needed to hear her over the loud music. Only there were no other people, and it was only Will Smith singing in the background. "I always kind of wondered what he'd be like. Do you think he's good?"

I felt my eyes grow wide. "Rose!" I rasped a laugh. "We aren't going to, like..."

"What?" She turned serious then, searching my eyes. "Oh, come on Bella. You think he isn't going to try and _get_ you _off?_ He's a Cullen. Maybe I'm just talking him up, but if he's anything like Emmett..." She trailed off. "He won't even have to try to succeed."

I laughed harder at this. "Uh," I rubbed my palms over my cheeks. "Gross."

She filled up her glasses. "Oh, don't be such a prude. Sex is, like, the best thing about life. Next to, like, food and liquor. And my kids."

I giggled through my nose.

"Sometimes when it's hard, the sex is there to keep you afloat," she trailed off, and I had a feeling we weren't discussing Edward and I anymore.

"Yeah," I nodded, hoping for her to continue. Rose clearly needed to get something off of her chest.

She pulled back then, smiling at me. "And sometimes, that's just all it is."

I bit my lip, not knowing whether to hold my tongue or digress. Times like these, I'd text Edward for advice, but I didn't want him to know I had been drinking with Rosalie, since she was technically supposed to be at home while Emmett was out playing pool with him.

"Rose," I cleared the lump from my throat. "Is everything alright with you and Emmett?"

Her head shook almost as soon as the words left my mouth. "Bella, we're fine, come on. We're celebrating tonight, you know? None of that sappy marriage talk."

I didn't flinch, but I did find my friend's words disheartening. Rosalie and Emmett had always left us in awe with their strong, passionate, unbreakable connection. I had always compared their love story to one of Shakespeare's Taming of the Shrew, only I considered Emmett to be the shrew.

I didn't agree with the concept of marriage as a whole, and I certainly couldn't commit myself to others because of that. But that alone did not stop me from believing in love, because Emmett and Rose were the proof I had that it actually existed.

That flicker of hope had drawn thin and was nearly transparent with the possible downfall of their relationship. Maybe love didn't exist, and I was bringing a baby into a world that was a lost cause.

No, that wasn't true.

My baby would be loved. Edward and I were going to do this as we did anything together; wholeheartedly.

Rose looked up from her lashes, a smile growing across her face. "So... two weeks then?"

I nodded carefully, letting out a nervous-sounding sigh. "Two weeks."

* * *

 **thoughts?**

 **Again, sorry. I have no beta for this.**

 **Btw, the Will Smith song Rose and Bella listened to was "Gettin' Jiggy Wit it." Lmao**


	4. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: SM owns. I do not own any of these characters.**

 **Chapter song: On Call-Kings of Leon**

 _"She said call me now baby, and I'd come a running._

 _If you'd call me now, baby then I'd come a running._

 _I'm on call, to be there._

 _One and all, to be there._

 _And When I fall, to pieces._

 _Lord you know, I'll be there waiting."_

* * *

 _Edward_

There wasn't much in life I wasn't sure about.

I had a secure job and I was considerably wealthy. I lived in New York, and I had a love-hate relationship with the city. I was single, and, yes, I dated some, but I only ever spent my time living life to it's most fulfilling degree when I was with the girl I knocked into during Freshman orientation, well over a decade ago.

I didn't have any doubts: Bella was soulmate. The friend kind. The forever kind.

She was funny, and crazy, and chest-tightening gorgeous. She was smart and filled with wisdom-like wit. She was angel-faced and I couldn't possibly tell you how many times I've thought about dating her. If I had a dime for every time I called her 'beautiful', I would be a very rich man.

My innocent flirting aside, I had been friend-zoned long ago.

When we met, Bella was dating some three-pump chump named Mike, and I was messing around with this girl I knew, Heidi. Once we started hanging out, Bella and I sort of casually admitted to each other that we were only in it for the sex.

After that, Bella became my wing-woman and my best friend. Her brother met my sister, and we had established our own little family.

Sometime after my sister had her first kid, I realized that I needed to grow up. I needed to do something more, and then the idea of having a kid sort of slowly seeped into my brain.

I know: It was crazy. Ridiculous.

But before I could push the thought away, the image of Bella holding Ava entered my mind.

It was absurd, but with Bella there were always so many possibilities. Eventually, _years_ later, I worked up the courage to ask her. And she fucking agreed.

I was absolutely sure that I wanted a child, and I wanted one with Isabella Swan. We had worked out all of the details, and our plan was set in motion.

So why did it feel so strange? So nerve-wracking and panic inducing?

Why did something feel out of place?

* * *

"You know, it's crazy," Emmett was drunk, almost predictably these days. I had been too preoccupied with my planning with Bella to really take note of his condition, but I had vaguely minded that my brother was struggling with some demons at this time in his life. "I always thought this would happen the other way around with you two. You know, love, then sex, then the accidental pregnancy like the rest of us."

Emmett was cynical, but funny.

I chuckled, shaking my head. "Just shoot already, Emmett."

He nodded, going around the pool table to take his turn. Beside me, Bella's brother stood staring at his phone, like half of the people in this bar.

"Look," he turned the screen to face me. "Alice sent me this."

It was a video of Ava telling her daddy to come home and to bring ice cream with him. With sprinkles. And cherries. And 'nananas'. And 'chocwit sewups'. Then my niece's eyes got watery and she said "I miss you" before kissing the camera.

It was cute, and I had to choke back an 'aw'. Jasper, maybe understanding my reaction, grinned at me knowingly.

"Don't listen to Emmett," he slapped me on the back. "I don't care how you go about it, as long as you're cut out for it. And you definitely are, especially with my sister involved. She's amazing, so if you suck, she can be a dad too. Dad-hood is awesome, and if I can do it, you'll fucking blow us all out of the water."

I chuckled, palming my face. "I hope you're right. I want to do this right."

He nodded thoughtfully. "As far as crazy fucks, like you, go... You are."

And it felt like I was, so far.

Almost.

* * *

I had been pacing all day.

It was supposed to be the day.

 _The day._

Suddenly, it had occurred to me that our idea for the method of insemination process may have been a little stupid and rash. My mind was clouding with "what-ifs".

What if this _ruins_ us? What if I suddenly suck at sex, and it turns Bella against me? What if Bella changed her mind about the whole thing? What if on the way home, she stopped and met someone else she wanted to procreate with? What if this happens, and she decides she doesn't want this with me anymore? What if... what if it's _good?_

What if the sex is incredible?

Just thinking about having sex with her was incredible, so I knew the answer to that one. Of course the sex would be mind blowing, it was _fucking Bella._

She was always a great wing-woman, but an even better best friend.

We were anything together. We were conniving and adventurous. We were silly and spontaneous. We did a lot of things that people didn't understand, like spending our holidays together instead of with our families because we just liked to sit back on the couch and watch Netflix. We had made stupid decisions together, and then we had made smart ones. This, deciding to have a kid, was _not_ a stupid decision _._

We had discussed every _single_ possible outcome of this situation. Everything about this was out in the open. We knew each other's concerns, hopes and fears.

We could be parents.

I tried to keep from bouncing on the heels of my feet as I paced, but my anxiety was getting the best of me.

Everything in my life was about to change, this very night.

Bella and I were going to expand our team soon. We were going to have a third badass in our group. A fucking _family._

I wanted to laugh like a lunatic and throw up at the same time. There was no war raging inside my head, but there was an odd aching in my stomach.

At around nine-forty, my phone lit up with a picture of me forcing a kiss on Bella's cheek. We were a little drunk, but I loved her smile and the dimples I had captured in this rare photo of her.

A silly Taylor Swift song started playing that she had teasingly programmed in my phone as her caller tone, and I felt my heart skip a beat at the sound.

Tentatively, I slid the answer bar over and put the phone to my ear. My throat was dry, but I managed to speak. "Hey, Hun."

Was it weird to call her Hun before sex?

"Hey," she sounded winded, breathless. "So... you ready?"

I nodded to myself, finally convinced that I was. "Is it...?"

"It's time."

Suddenly, I was in a rush; already walking towards the door. "I'll be there in thirty seconds."

As soon as I was off the phone, I blanched at what I had said.

 _Oh God, I hope not._

* * *

 **A/N: get your mind out of the gutter, Edward!**

 **thanks for reading and reviewing, guys.**

 **So we got a glimpse into Edward's head. He's kind of nervous, but he's sure that this is what he wants. Any thoughts on him? There won't be very many chapters on him to come, but I thought you might like to gain some perspective on him.**

 **If you're into angsty crime love stories, please check out Jilted on my page, beta'd by the amazing HalcyonSeasons! It's my heart and soul.**


	5. Chapter 4

**I own nothing.**

 **Warning: Some content in this chapter may not be suitable for readers under the age of 18.**

* * *

"Are you nervous?"

"A little."

"We don't have to do it this way, Bella."

"I know."

"And you're sure?"

"Positive. It's just weird."

"Too weird?"

"No, just... strange. I'm actually surprised you don't feel the same."

"I'm a little distracted by your attire, to be honest."

Edward stood in the center of my bedroom in nothing more than a pair of navy blue boxers. He was visibly nervous, his shoulders moving up and down as his breathing quickened.

"I thought it'd be nice," I admitted.

I wore some overpriced Victoria's Secret number as opposed to my regular boy shorts. I don't know why; it seemed kind of stupid in retrospect. The panties were coming right off anyway. I wasn't dressing up for some fashion shoot, he was here to knock me up.

That was just me though: Overachiever of the year.

Edward had confidence that we would get it on the first try, but I figured we were probably going to have to repeat this process a few times... might as well make it enjoyable with some scandalous lingerie.

"You look beautiful, sweetheart." A nickname aunts usually call their estranged nieces never seemed as sexy as it did when Edward called me this with no pants on. Before sex. Or before procreation. Whatever.

I smiled, feigning indifference.

 _Better than panting like a whore._

"Thanks."

I was nervous as all holy hell. I was breaking a sweat, and I was sure that if we didn't get going already I'd be sporting a sweaty asscrack.

 _That'd be sexy._

So I mustered up whatever courage my nearly-sweaty ass could find, and I took a step towards him. "Okay, let's do this."

Edward nodded, meeting me at the edge of the bed. We stood, inches apart, our chests almost touching as we took ragged but gradually slowing breaths. He gingerly lifted a hand to my face, caressing the tips of his fingers over my jawline. He craned his neck inward, and I felt his minty-fresh breath wash over my face.

He brushed his teeth for me.

"Wait!" I yelped, right before my lips could graze his.

He pulled back, furrowing his eyebrows at me. "What? Did you forget to bring the condom?" He joked.

"I was just thinking, um..." I furrowed my own eyebrows, searching for the right words. "Maybe we should leave out the kissing part?"

He seemed to consider it for a moment before he nodded. "It's too intimate. After all, I'm just here to deliver my sperm. We shouldn't."

"We shouldn't."

"But... maybe we should. To, you know, break the ice."

"Break the ice? You already know my name, you have permission to stick your peen inside me. What more could a man ask for?"

"Bella, shut up. I was wrong. We shouldn't."

I changed my mind quickly. "We should."

"Good God," he muttered, tearing away from me.

I grabbed his forearm and shook my head vehemently. "No, you were right. We should. Kiss me. Don't listen to what I said before. It was my snappy tongue, you know how I am."

"Snappy tongue? Sounds dangerous. Maybe we shouldn't kiss."

I snorted. "You're a comedian."

"And you have a sexy snort."

"I'll record it for you to jack off to later."

"You'd do that for me?"

"That's what friends are for."

"Bella," his voice dropped a couple octaves. "I'm going to kiss you now."

I nodded. "Okay. Don't make it weird."

"Shut up," He didn't waste any time, dropping his head down to give me his lips.

It was bizarre.

My best friend kissing me on the lips was strange. It wasn't really the kiss in particular; the kiss itself was just like any other I'd had before. Only, it wasn't...

Well, it was a little better. It was wet, soft, fingers-twisting-into-my-hair, noisy and breathy.

I think it was more or less the concept which threw me off; I was kissing this person who I truly relied on, truly cared about and trusted. We were about to take on a life-long commitment together, bringing another life into this world who would be a part of us.

It was exhilarating... and terrifying. It meant everything and, yet, it meant nothing at all.

As we broke apart, Edward cradled the back of my head in his hands and tried to steady his breathing. His eyes were so dark, hooded with lust, that I had to find something else to focus on. I found myself staring down at his saliva-glossed lips while his fingertips weaved between my hair and rubbed at my scalp.

"Just tell me one more time that you're sure about this, Bella. We can't take this back."

I nodded. "We won't."

"Hey." He put his hand on my arm and I flicked my eyes back to his. "I love you."

I couldn't fight my smile if I tried. "I love you, too."

He nodded. "And thank you, you know. For agreeing to be my baby-momma. Thank you for-"

"Edward, shut up and put your kid in me before I stop ovulating."

"Right," he said in a throaty whisper, pulling his hands tighter around me until I was wrapped up in his hug/kiss.

I had no doubts: this night would change everything, and we would let it.

* * *

Sometime during the middle of the night, I woke up to lil' Jon asking me what there was to turn down for. In my sleepy state, I didn't realize that it was actually Edward's ringtone going off, and lil' Jon wasn't actually in the room with me.

I mumbled something like, "You can easily get alcohol poisoning," and, "there's a whole lot to turn down for, Jon. Let's not be rash."

I heard a velvety chuckle, and felt something caressing at my cheek.

"Thank you, Bella. For everything."

* * *

"So..." Rose bumped her shoulder to mine. "How was it?"

I kept my eyes trained on my laptop. "Why does Alice update her Twitter every twelve minutes? She has two kids, how does she have time for this? If she's pawning off all the parenting on my brother, we're going to have some problems."

"Bella, you're babbling."

"Ava is at that age where she needs her mother most. She's four, she needs guidance."

"Bella." She shut my laptop, glaring at me. "Focus. This is important. I need you to tell me how you're feeling."

I pursed my lips, sighing through my nose.

I didn't want to tell Rose that I felt good. Like, just-got-fucked good. That was so wildly inappropriate, and the first thing in my mind; Edward's thing.

If I was _truly_ honest with Rose, I'd probably say something like: " _Yeah, like, I've been thinking about his penis all day. It kind of feels like there's a special place inside of me reserved for him, and every time I move I can feel it."_

 _No, not telling her that._

Rose waited patiently for my answer.

"It was alright," I lied.

Her shoulders slumped and her face dropped. "Alright? What do you mean _alright_? Didn't you, like..."

I shrugged, not looking over to her because I didn't trust my face not to give me away. "It was fine. We did it kind of fast. Edward's cock is pretty average."

 _Lie. Lie. Big Fucking Lie._

Her face fell even more. "You're being serious?"

I nodded, furrowing my brows at her. "Yeah, what's the big deal?"

She stared at me for a minute before she flopped back on the couch. "This is _bullshit_!"

I jumped at her scream.

She sat back up, glaring at me. "Literally, the only reason I was starting to be cool with this was because Emmett convinced me that you two would fuck and fall in love."

"We are in love," I protest. "The friend kind."

"Fuck the friend kind, Bella!"

I laughed, since she was acting crazy and I didn't know how else to react. "What's your deal?"

She shook her head, sighing aloud. "I need a fucking drink."

"There's a bottle of wine on top of the fridge. Go to town."

She shook her head, mumbling something about this being bullshit.

* * *

"Fuck," I heard his hot groan in my ear. He placed his lips over my heart, and I let out a choked scream as his teeth grazed along my collarbone. "Tell me your close, Bella."

"Yes," I whimpered.

"Bella." His thrusts picked up, and I felt my breathing catch in my throat as he reached down between us. "Bella."

"Edward."

 _"Bella._ "

I felt him shaking me, and I groaned when I feel a sudden loss. " _Bella_ , wake up. Come on. Bella."

My consciousness returned to me at once. I gasped at seeing Edward's face by my side. "What the fuck?!"

He frowned down at me. "Why are you sleeping on the couch? And why is there porn on the TV?"

I looked towards the TV, and whatdoyouknow, there's boobs and penises flopping all over the screen.

 _That explains a lot_.

I frowned to myself. "I guess I slept through Reality Bites."

"What a shame..." he said absently. I looked up to find his jaw slacking as he stared at the screen.

I punched him in the knee.

"Ow!" He hunched over, before he busted up laughing. "Why'd you hit me? You're the perv watching this fake shit. And I'm sorry to break it to you, but that girl on the left looks like your mom more than she does a school girl."

I followed his eyes to the girl. "I'll let her know you said that. Renee loves a good compliment to help lift her spirit every now and then."

"It's no problem. Your mom is hot."

I hit him again, and he cowered away, laughing. "I was kidding!"

"You're just like your brother." I sat up, crossing my arms over my chest. "You Cullens are all pervs."

He plopped down on the couch beside me, wrapping his arms around me and planting his lips in my hair. "You love it, Bella, say it." He started rocking us. "That's why you're going to have my pervy baby."

I laughed into his shoulder, unable to move from his grip. "I really hope my kid doesn't have your brain."

"He'll have my game though."

"Says the guy with 'Turn Down for What' as his ringtone." I scoffed. "And what if it's a girl? What if _she's_ got game? What if she's a little perv with game, like you?"

He pursed his lips thoughtfully for a moment. "We lock her ass up. She doesn't leave her room."

I laughed. "Hey, Edward."

"Bella."

"Promise me you won't freak out, you know... if I can't get pregnant. You can go and, like, find someone else if I can't, you know..."

"Hey, Bella."

"Yeah?"

"Shut up. It's you, or nothing at all. You're crazy if you think I'd want to do this with anyone else but you."

The crazy thing? I felt the same exact way.

* * *

 **A/N: sorry for any errors, there's no beta here. I try to go back and correct them, but I have crappy timing.**

 **Those waiting for a Jilted update, it's written. It's being pre-read and beta'd. I want to say Friday... ish.**

 **Review?**


	6. Chapter 5

**I own nothing.**

* * *

 **One Month Later.**

Edward stood beside me with a blank expression on his face, seemingly at a loss with what do in our most recent predicament. He had yet to open his mouth and speak after I called him over here for an "emergency" that I couldn't quite explain to him through the phone.

It wasn't _exactly_ an emergency, I just knew that the only way I could get him to come over and help me was to lie, pretend like it was a life or death situation.

It was mean, but, hey, at least I wasn't alone.

"So," he cleared his throat, his green eyes flickering from me to the situation. "They just left them here with you?"

I pursed my lips together as I nodded. "Rosalie thinks it'll be good for us to get some practice in before the baby comes..." I found myself narrowing my eyes to Maggie, silently wishing Charlotte would come back here to pick her up.

I was still struggling with getting along with the girl who knew nothing more than how to glare and shake her head at me.

My living room was filled with kids.

Six of them, to be exact.

"Why don't I just take the kids back to my place?" Edward suggested, nodding his head convincingly. "Yeah, I can take the boys. We'll play Crash Bandicoot and drink Sunkist. They'll love it."

"Yeah," I mocked him, nodding my head. "And leave the four girls with me?" I pointed to myself, raising an incredulous eyebrow in his direction. "No."

"Oh, come on," he chuckled nervously, sensing my growing agitation towards him. "I mean, you're a woman. You can relate to them-"

I crossed my arms over my chest. "Relate to them? Are you kidding me? What happens if we have a daughter, will you not be able to 'relate to her'?"

"Of course not," he scoffed. "Don't be ridiculous."

I turned my back to him dismissively. "No. We're doing this together."

Emmy, Tyler, Eric, Ava, Lillian and Maggie all sat, smooshed together on my tiny living room couch. The two infants slept in their car seat carriers, the Twingers in the middle, and Maggie and Ava on either side of them.

We stood, hidden in the hallway, watching them curiously; no idea what to do.

Edward sighed, a perplexed look marring his cut features. With furrowed eyebrows and crinkled eyes, he nodded slowly and wrapped his arm around my shoulder. "Let's find the Nyquil."

I slapped his shoulder. "No-"

His chuckle cut me off. "I'm kidding, Bella."

"That's not funny," I laughed anyway. "Let's take them for out ice cream or something."

"Maggie is lactose intolerant," he informed me.

"We'll take her to FroYo."

"And you think FroYo is lactose-free?"

"It's cultured. It won't be as bad... She can eat FroYo," I craned my neck back to look into the living room, spotting the brat on the couch. "Um… hey, Maggie. Can I talk to you for a minute?"

She threw me her usual death glare, sighing through her nose as if I was such a burden to her. She pushed herself off of the couch, grumbling something about my couch being stupid, and walked over to me with her arms crossed.

I smiled at her, trying to keep the mood light and friendly. "Hey, kiddo. You like FroYo, don't you?"

She shrugged, shifting on her feet. "I've never had it before."

"It's like ice cream, but it won't hurt your tummy," I informed her. "Do you want to try it?"

She bit her lip contemplatively, looking between Edward and me for a moment.

We waited, watching her.

"Okay," she finally agreed.

"Yes!" Edward pumped his fist in the air, clapping like the dork he was. "Awesome. FroYo!"

* * *

We ended up at Orange Leaf, a place on 3rd Avenue that lets you design your frozen yogurt to your liking. One could choose from a variety of flavors, toppings, etc. This place was an overcrowded paradise, and the Twingers let out excited screams as soon as we set foot through the glass doors.

"Lesson number one in parenthood: volume control. Watch this," Edward, the know-it-all professor, crouched down so that he was eye level with the boys. "Hey, kids, we have to use our inside voices. Otherwise, aunt Bella will pass out," he throws his thumb over his shoulder. "She has baby ears, like Emmy. She'll start crying if you scream."

Maggie laughed. "Whatever."

"No, I won't," I smiled at them, winking. Tyler had one finger in his nose, and Eric didn't even seem like he was paying attention. He was eying the chocolate chip cookie dough chunks.

So was I.

"Just remember, we have to use our inside voices," Edward stood back up, pursing his lips. "Yeah. Inside voices."

I rubbed his shoulder in a soothing gesture as the boys ran off, headed right towards the toppings station. "You tried."

He shrugged, looking disappointed.

"I'm going to the bathroom," Maggie quipped over her shoulder, walking away from us to head towards the restroom.

I nodded, watching her leave.

"Go after her," Edward told me, nodding his head towards the door. "Make sure she doesn't try to slip out the window or something. I have these," he gestures to the five others, taking the car seat carriers over to a table to set Lillian and Emmy down. He looked to them warily, then back to me. "Just hurry up."

I smirk, crouching down to Ava. "Hey, Ava," I shook my niece's hand playfully to get a smile out of her. "I'm going to the bathroom, do you need to go potty?"

She shook her head.

"Okay, will you still come with me?" I asked, knowing Edward would struggle enough with the Twingers as it is. "I don't want to go alone."

Ava was dressed like a princess today, wrapped up in her diva leopard print coat with her shimmery pink dress peeping out from under it. Her unruly curls, which were unfortunately passed down to her from her father, were thrown into a ball on top of her head. To top off her strange attire, she had a wand in one hand, as if it were Halloween.

She nodded silently, holding her hand out to hold. I took it and led her over to the doors. Her voice was a small whisper: "I want bananas on mine."

I nodded approvingly. "That sounds good."

Ava started naming off all of the things she wanted on her frozen yogurt. Even as we got inside, she still went on. "And choc-wit chips, and sew-ups. And whipped-cweem. And spwinkes. And…"

She was a little indecisive on that last one.

"Um… Bella," I heard a soft call, and I recognized Maggie's unusually non-condescending voice. "Is that you?"

"Yep," I informed her, pausing by the bathroom sink. "Um... I can wait outside if you want."

"No," her voice dropped to a small whisper. "Um…"

Sensing her reluctance, I furrowed my brows and inched closer to the stall door. "Are you okay? Do you need something?"

"Um… I think," I heard her exhale a nervous sounding sigh. "I think I need something. Like a napkin."

My eyes widened in realization. "Oh!" I smiled, in spite of her obvious embarrassment. "Did you start your period?"

She unlocked the door then, and I pushed it open. I walked in and made sure to keep the door slightly ajar to watch Ava, who started pulling napkins from the napkin holder and throwing them into the trash can for no reason.

"Have you ever had a period before?"

I assessed her situation with a professional eye, keeping my face impassive as to not embarrass her. Red-faced and biting her lip, Maggie shook her head and dropped her gaze to the floor. "I had one before, but it was a few months ago. And it was only a little. Mommy said sometimes girls only get small periods."

I nodded understandingly. "That's totally normal for girls your age. Don't worry," I dug into my bag to find something for her. "Eventually you'll just know when it's coming, and it won't be such a surprise. Sometimes girls have irregular periods though, like me, and they can just tell by other things. Like you'll get really moody, or sometimes you'll get cramps before."

She took the pad from me, shifting. "But that's not fair—I didn't even get a warning."

I pursed my lips, biting back a comment.

 _Your attitude is a warning_.

Not the best thing to say to a preteen girl.

"No, it's not fair. But you'll come to embrace it soon enough," I lied out of my ass. I still didn't 'embrace' womanhood. "It's a part of life. We all go through it."

"But boys don't," Maggie scoffed. "Seriously, this is the worst."

I frowned. "But we're pretty," I said, just to lighten the mood a little. "And boys smell funny. Girls smell good, like flowers. And soon enough you'll have boobs."

"I already do," she straightened her shoulders out and jutted her chest out. "See?"

I nodded, biting back a laugh. She was cute when she wasn't being a bitch.

"And they'll get bigger," I smiled. "Eventually."

"Like, bigger than yours though, right?"

I pursed my lips, trying not to seem insulted.

"Aunt Belllllaaaa," Ava wobble-walked into the stall then, her hands on her hips. "I have boobs too."

I looked down to her and couldn't help but laugh. Under her dress, Ava had stuffed napkins along the chest to form fake boobs.

Maggie busted out laughing, and I muffled my own laughter into my palms. I reached down to pull the tissue from her dress. "Not yet, silly," I struggled to keep from laughing. "Don't do that in front of daddy, he'll have a heart attack."

I walked Ava out of the stall to give Maggie her privacy and focused on cleaning up the mess she had made in the ten seconds I turned my head. Napkins and toilet tissue scraps were littered along the bathroom floor, along with the inside of Ava's dress.

By the time I had finished cleaning up, Maggie was already out of the bathroom and cleaning her hands.

She glanced to me a warily for a few seconds, until she finally turned to give me a questioning look. "Do you always carry stuff around with you?"

"Huh?" I asked stupidly.

"The pads and stuff."

"Oh," I nodded. "It's good to be prepared."

"But you're having a baby, right? Girls don't get their periods when they have babies."

"It's just in case," I thought for a minute. "I don't know if I'm pregnant yet."

"How do you know?"

I smiled at her, realizing for the first time in my life that I was having an adult conversation with Maggie. It wasn't exactly the conversation I imagined having with her since I figured I'd be the one she'd go to about her parents' divorce, but I was happy nonetheless. I've known this girl since she was a baby, and she's never really liked me enough to speak to me until now.

"I'll know when I've missed a period," I handed her a napkin to dry her hands with.

Ava started pulling more paper towels out of the dispenser, and I stopped her.

"But you said you don't know when it's coming," she reminded me. "So you could be pregnant right now?"

I considered that for a moment.

The girl had a point. I could very well be pregnant. It was difficult determining my ovulation date because of my irregular periods, but there was a chance, a good chance, that I was pregnant.

It had been a month since _that_ night, and _well_ over a month since my last period.

"Yeah," I couldn't fight the small smile on my lips. "I could be."

I was ready to leave Orange Leaf and run to the nearest CVS.

Maggie smiled then, looking just as excited as I was. "Are you excited?"

I smiled back, and Ava wiped out on a paper towel the bathroom floor.

* * *

"Why is she crying?" Edward had the kids all calmed down, silently eating their cups of frozen yogurt at a booth by the window. "You were gone for fifteen minutes. You have two kids, and they're both crying."

Maggie wasn't crying, she was just laughing too hard that it made her tear up.

"Shut up," I said immaturely, setting Ava's cup of frozen yogurt down as I helped her onto her stool. "She slipped on a napkin."

"I'm okay," she insisted, holding her spoon awkwardly as she dragged it through the frozen yogurt. "I swipped on a napkin."

"Trial and error," I smiled. "That won't happen again, though. Will it Ava?"

She shrugged. "I had boobs."

Edward palmed his forehead. "Uh."

Maggie laughed, and the Twingers exchanged questioning glances. "Mommy has boobs," Tyler stated matter-of-factly, spooning some yogurt into his mouth.

I bit my lip, unsure of what exactly I was supposed to say to that.

We'd had these kids for less than an hour, and I was already at a loss on what to do on more times than I could count.

Thankfully, Eric saved the day with his next line: "Mommy told us that if we're good for Aunt Bella that we get to go to the movies with daddy this weekend."

"Aunt Bella?" Edward frowned. "What about me?"

Tyler made a tightlipped smile, and I almost started cracking up again. He reached across the booth to touch Edward's shoulder. "No, but we'll be good for you too, Uncle Edward."

I settled into a seat next to Ava and started eating from her desert since she decided to fill her bowl with mostly toppings instead of frozen yogurt. The girl had piled a small amount of chocolate, whipped cream, syrup, bananas, chocolate chips and chopped Hershey bars into her bowl.

I scooped a layer of Hershey from it while she wasn't looking and popped it into my mouth.

"Aunt Bella is going to have a baby," Ava informed everyone with the bob of her head. "She said so in the bathroom."

"What?" Edward asked.

Over him, Tyler yelled, "Cool! Can you have a little boy? Please!"

"She said she _thinks_ she's going to have a baby, Ava," Maggie said with the roll of her eyes. "She doesn't know for sure yet. And she doesn't get to choose if it's a boy or a girl, dummy."

I watched Edward's expression carefully, searching his features for any signs of regret. He looks to me and meets my eyes. Leaning forward so that his face is leveled to mine, he took me by the shoulder and smiled crookedly. "You really think…?"

I stared at him for a moment, unable to respond. I found myself temporarily awestruck by his expression; masked with pure elation, excitement, and, last but not least, love.

I found myself thinking back to that night, a little over a month ago, when Edward and I were alone in my room.

What started off as an awkward moment between us, bickering as usual, had transformed into some unforgettable, transcending experience that I couldn't seem to push out of my head.

And I wish that it weren't like that because maybe I wouldn't feel the sense of longing I had at that moment, if I didn't think that night was so special.

Maybe I was hoping that I would get a chance to relive that moment a few more times. Or maybe just once.

I couldn't bring myself to regret my decision; I was too happy.

But, maybe, Rosalie was right…

"Yeah," I laughed, tearing up a little. "I think I am."

And I couldn't have been more wrong, thinking that he couldn't smile any wider. Edward's face broke out into one of the most breathtaking, awe-inspiring smiles I've ever seen. I'd never witnessed him so elated before.

He tore away from the chair and lifted me up in a bone-crushing hug. I could feel his fingers wrapping around my sides and digging into his hips, feel his nose burying into my hair and his laugh as he breathed against my shoulder.

I laughed too, hugging him back.

And I almost didn't want to let go.

* * *

 **AN: Ahh, sorry that took so long. I try to update weekly, but last week was my vacation week. Since I made you wait so long, I promise you another chapter update this week. That, and I know it'll be torture waiting to find out if she's pregnant or not.**

 **Thanks for reading!**


	7. Chapter 6

**I own nothing. SM owns. I just get her characters drunk and lovey-dovey.**

* * *

 **One Day Later.**

"Will you close the fucking door?!" I screamed to the top of my lungs, trying to cover my crotch with my hands.

I was just about to use the restroom when the best friend barged through the door unannounced, holding a First Response box in one hand and a Miller lite in the other. He didn't even ask before he threw the box in my lap, popped open his bottle of beer, and popped a squat on the sink.

"Bella, quit being ridiculous," Edward crossed his arms over his chest, burping into his mouth. "I've seen you pee before."

 _This is my life. I will never have privacy ever again._

"Uh, when we were _twenty_ and I needed someone to hold onto when the porta potties were filled at the Mardigras parade does _not_ count, my friend," I picked up the box and started to examine it. "Don't look at her."

"Wrong. Actually it was three times. All in public places, by the way, which you should have been arrested for. The last being two years ago, at my father's fifth wedding, when you hit that bottle of Fireball a little too hard. Alice and I held your hand while you peed on a hundred dollars' worth of peonies."

I pursed my lips.

Not my proudest moment, that one.

"You really call it 'her'?" he furrowed his brows.

I tore the box open and dumped the contents onto the counter beside him, shrugging my shoulders dismissively. "I used to call it 'Rex'."

He laughed through his nose. "I like Rex," he lied. "It's a strong name. Strong name for a strong vagina."

 _I'm too old for this,_ I thought.

But I played along, anyway.

I nodded. "You bet your ass I gave her a strong name. Thing can take a pounding."

"Multiple, I gather."

"You would know."

"I would. Rex has proved me how durable she can be."

"Okay. I can't pee with you standing here. At least turn the water on," I sighed.

He nodded, twisting around to turn the faucet on.

The room filled with the sound of running water as I picked up a small package which looked like it held the answers I needed at the moment. I ripped the package open and produced a small pink-ended stick from the plastic wrap. I stared at it for a moment, wondering exactly what I was supposed to do from here.

"You know, I can honestly say that this is the proudest moment of my life," I told him as I took the cap off and snatched the instructions off of the sink. "I'm over thirty years old and not once have I ever had to use one of these, until now."

He nodded as he pulled from his bottle. He narrowed his eyes to me as he licked his lips. "You should put that in your autobiography."

"Heck yeah I will. Do you know how many women can say that? Not many, bud," I scanned my eyes over the instructions and pursed my lips. "See, they even make this so that a third grader could read it." I threw the instructions to him while I concentrated on getting my flow going.

I widened my legs and positioned the stick between them, before I shook my head vehemently.

"What?" he asked impatiently.

"I can't do this with you in here," I continued to shake my head. "You have to go."

He frowned. "I don't want to miss this moment."

"Dude, the peeing part is not meant to be memorable. This isn't a moment. This is awkward."

"Bella, shut the fuck up and pee."

I slouched my shoulders in defeat. "You're so rude."

He groaned and hopped off of the sink. "I'll play a song to help you get going."

"Okay. My iPod is on the coffee table, hook it up to the stereo," I nodded as he walked out of the bathroom. "No Aerosmith!"

"You said play Aerosmith?" He was fucking with me.

"No!" I yelled.

"Okay, Hun. 'Walk this way', it is."

I rolled my eyes as I resumed position.

"Oh, Bella, I should murder you," I heard him call from the living room. "Natalie Imbruglia? Are you fucking with me right now? You're such a chick."

I smirked, not commenting.

"Fleetwood Mac? Gross."

I groaned to the ceiling. "Shut up and pick something so I can pee."

He laughed. "Hang on, I found something I can stand."

The apartment filled with Oasis's "Wonderwall", and I suppressed an eye roll.

I couldn't help but like it though; this song got me every time.

I started singing and peeing at the same time: _"Today is gonna be the day that they're gonna throw it back to you. By now, you should've somehow realized what you've got to do. I don't believe that anybody, feels the way I do about you now."_ I craned my neck in to make sure my flow was hitting its target, (which was a lot harder than it sounds, by the way).

Edward leaned against the doorjamb, drinking his Miller Lite while keeping his eyes on me.

"Ugh, you're sick," I complained as I capped the stick, stood up from the toilet, and pulled my sweats back up.

He ignored me, singing along to Wonderwall.

I pushed him away from me so I could wash my hands in the sink. I set the stick down and focused on cleaning my hands with my special Jergens soap. Edward always complained that it smelled like old ladies, but I thought it smelled nice.

"Memories," he reminded me, halfway into singing, _"And after all you're my wonderwall."_

"You're drunk. Your memories are probably going to be a little hazy."

"I'm not drunk," he insisted, pointing to the beer in his hands. "Jasper and I had four of these."

"Each?"

He pursed his lips. "Yeah—" he furrowed his brows. "I mean no."

I raised an eyebrow.

He smirked, leaning unnaturally close to smell my shoulder like a weirdo. "You smell nice. Like fruit. Not cheap fruit, though. Like pomegranate."

I laughed. "Thanks."

"It's pregnancy perfume. I bet you're pregnant. Twenty bucks, you in?" He held his hand out, then dropped it to his side. "Nah, you'd better be in."

"Pregnancy perfume?" I choked back a laugh as I shut the water off.

"Yeah, Jasper says women smell different when they're pregnant. It's not a bad thing. You smell good. Musky, sweet."

I struggled between feeling confused and flattered.

"Um…" I shifted.

"Oh Bella," he grinned. "I've been smelling you for fifteen years. You smell different, trust me."

"Creepy," I wiped my hands dry on his shirt, laughing when he didn't complain.

"It's not creepy. You smell good."

"No," I protested. "It's creepy that you've been smelling me for fifteen years."

He blanched, and I laughed.

"Shut up. Don't act like you don't do creepy shit. I caught you scoping me out when I got out of the shower," he nodded. "I never judged you for that."

I felt a blush spreading to my cheeks. "Fuck you," I brushed past him, and he caught me by the wrist and wrapped his arms in around me in a restricting embrace.

"Come on, Bella," he chuckled, kissing my hair. "If it makes you feel any better, I check out your ass when you wear those skinny jeans to the bar."

I laughed into his shoulder, placing my hands on his chest to shove him backwards. "I already knew that."

He touched his chest, looking bruised with his eyebrows furrowed. "You let me look at your ass?"

I shrugged. "It made me feel special."

He frowned, seemingly disappointed. "I make you feel special? But I'm a pervert."

I took in his crestfallen expression and went in to hug him this time. "Yeah, but you're my perv," I rubbed his back in a soothing movement. "I'm going to have your pervy baby, remember?"

"Maybe not the pervy part. Hopefully not... Bella," he hummed into my shoulder.

"Hmm?"

"Can we look at the test now? It's been, like, five minutes."

"Oh," I said, as if I had forgotten. I hadn't-I was just as anxious as he was to find out. "Yeah. Yes. Okay. Sure. Look."

I waited.

"Bella," he rubbed his hands over my back. "It's not that I'm not totally digging this hug, because I am, but you should probably let go of me so I can turn around."

I pulled away reluctantly, nodding my head. "Okay. You check it."

"We'll look together," he amended, reaching behind himself to grab the test.

I cringed. "You're touching it?"

He frowned. "Why not?"

"I peed on it."

"I touched your vagina, too," he reminded me. "You-"

"Okay, just stop talking and look at the test."

He pulled the test around and I shut my eyes involuntarily.

"What does this mean?" I heard him emit a sigh, and then the sound of his beer bottle clanking against the sink. "Did you even read what the lines mean, Bella?"

I shrugged. "I don't know… no."

I opened my eyes and watched as he produced the instructions from the sink, sighing through puffed cheeks. I watched his eyes as they scanned over the paper, his eyebrows furrowing with concentration. He apparently reread whatever he was just looking at, before he busted out laughing.

I felt my heart drop in my stomach.

"Two lines," he wrapped his arms around my neck, crushing me to his chest. His next words came out in a high-pitched, excited tone: "You're pregnant."

I looked up to the bathroom ceiling as he embraced me, trying to weather the flood of emotions rushing though me. I couldn't find one to stick with, each crashing into me violently, and all at once: excitement, fear, love, hope, relief, and anxiety.

I felt my eyes brim with tears, and I smiled involuntarily—effortlessly.

Edward pressed a kiss where my shoulder met my neck. I shut my mouth, closed my eyes, and breathed carefully through my nose.

"You make me so happy, Bell," he hugged me even tighter, and I struggled to breathe. It wasn't even that his hug was too tight, it was just intimate. Not erotic, or even friendly.

It was love, like every hug.

But in that moment, it was too much.

Happy—too much. I was completely overwhelmed.

With the pregnancy test in one hand and his arms wrapped around my back, his laugh vibrating against my chest, it was all so unexpectedly fulfilling. And even though I was so happy that I was crying, the moment seemed bittersweet.

" _You're pregnant."_ The words, his tone, his laughter became a mantra in my head.

And I accepted all of it. Reveled in it. Embraced it.

"I'm pregnant," I laughed too. "You got it on the first try. Good job. Want to high five?"

"Shut up and hug me back."

I laughed and wrapped my arms around his waist, since he'd already claimed my neck. I was quiet as I rested my chin on his shoulder.

"Thank you." He took my face in his hands and pressed kisses on either of my cheeks. "Thank you so fucking much, Bella," he kissed my forehead and pulled back to look at me. "I love you. You're so amazing."

I laughed and pushed him away, wiping the tears from my cheeks. "Stop. Go home, you're drunk."

"Never," he smirked, wiping a tear from my cheek. "Come on Goober," he took my hand. "Let's tell everybody the news."

I took a deep breath to prepare myself before I nodded. "Okay."

* * *

 **A/N** : I don't know if you've heard about the pregnancy smell thing, but trust me;-) it exists. Sometimes it's not all that pleasant either.

Also, if your thinking 'wtf' to them rushing to tell everybody (anon reviewer pointed this out); keep in mind that they've been waiting for this moment. They're excited to tell their family.

It's not unrealistic, especially when you're trying to have a kid.

Thanks for reading ;)


	8. Chapter 7

**A/N: Hey there! Thank you for reading/reviewing. Some of you may have some questions about the details of their arrangement, how it's going to work out when some of the things they've done may seem a little questionable. I have not included many of the details Edward and Bella agreed on for a reason. I'm hoping you'll see that for yourself in later chapters.**

 **However, you will find some answers in this chapter.**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight, nor am I in any way affiliated with the band Hall & Oates.**

* * *

 **Three Months Later.**

Things nobody tells you about pregnancy: It sucks.

"No, no. This is not happening right now," I complained as I hopped around the room with my pants pooling around my thighs. "Come on, just give me one more night..."

Dr. Garrett Greene said that it really doesn't matter how prepared you are; some things just happen. He said that we have to remember to keep positive, because pregnancy is not always this beautiful, flawless experience some women make it out to be.

"Just keep in mind to expect the unexpected," he'd told me a few months before, at my first visit. "Things aren't always going to work out just as you planned them to be."

 _I will listen to anything that comes out of that man's mouth._

Just thinking about him had me feeling better about not fitting into the last pair of jeans I owned before I had to switch to the maternity ones.

Garrett was smart, witty, and… well, he was _ridiculously_ hot, to put it mildly. I'd interacted with him a few times over the years during Rosalie's pregnancies, but he'd never really stood out to me until my first appointment with him.

Edward had been chastising me all day. The entire morning we'd had some ridiculous argument about caffeine being bad for the baby (which of course it is, but I wasn't ready cut caffeine out of my diet yet).

He had unplugged my coffee machine and threatened to throw it out the window. When my stubborn ass still couldn't agree, he actually stuck the coffee pot outside the window and pretended to drop it.

He dropped it.

No, he claimed he didn't 'drop' it, but the actual coffee pot 'slipped from his grasp'; leaving me with a coffee machine and no coffee pot.

Thankfully, no pedestrians were harmed (a separate argument we'd had; the professor's stupidity).

Anyway, we had been in the doctor's office as Edward rambled on and on about the negative side-effects of caffeine and how I was harming the "fragile life" inside of me. After he'd said that, I quickly agreed to never drink coffee again, when in walked Garrett Greene, a six-foot-four bronze-haired god with a medical degree, to tell me that it wouldn't be harmful to drink a little bit every now and then, especially in the first trimester.

Later that night, Edward brought home a new coffee pot. I started crying for no reason, and he held me until I fell asleep.

Things they don't tell you about pregnancy: It makes you crazy.

"Honey, are you alright in there?" Baby Daddy was at the other side of my bedroom door.

I flopped back on my bed and heaved an aggravated sigh.

 _I will not cry today._

Logically, I knew I had no reason to be upset. I was prepared to deal with this. It was one of the many things I looked forward to about becoming pregnant. I had been waiting for the moment when I could walk around in stylish maternity clothes to show off my baby bump.

The thing they don't tell you about pregnancy? Logic doesn't matter.

Still, my eyes watered. My chin wrinkled up. I started to cry, simply because my favorite jeans didn't fit.

"I'm fine," I lied. "Just give me a second."

* * *

Of course I needed longer than a second. By the time I finally made it out of the bedroom, Edward was half asleep on my living room couch. I nudged him awake and sat on the arm of the couch to slip my flats on.

Edward sat up, rubbing the sleep from his eyes as he yawned.

"I've been thinking about this whole thing with Rosalie and Emmett," he said through a yawn, reaching over to snatch his jacket from the armrest behind me.

"What?" I asked, standing up to pull my pants up some more. The maternity ones felt weird, clung to my thighs.

I assumed he would say something about their marriage falling apart; since it was slowly but surely happening in front of our eyes.

Our friends did not come to talk to us about their marital issues; they acted as though they never had any to speak of. What went on between Rosalie and Emmett was beyond my knowledge, but I was starting to worry that it was more serious than what I had originally suspected.

I thought that I shouldn't have been surprised. Marriages never last; my parents and Edward's are proof of that. Knowing this didn't make it any easier. Emmett and Rosalie gave me faith that maybe one day I'd have something similar to what they always had—an unbreakable connection with someone that's bound to last. I didn't like the concept of marriage, but I didn't necessarily want to be a loner for the rest of my life either.

Not that I was...

Edward hunched forward on the couch and rubbed his hands over his face, sighing aloud. "They really have no faith in us," he shook his head, dropping his hands to his knees. "Rosalie has been so cynical, even now that she knows we have a baby on the way. And I honestly can't tell if she really thinks we can't do this, or if it's something else..."

I pursed my lips, inclined to agree with him.

Really, I had given up on caring about what my friends thought of Edward and me. My brother and his wife have been more than supportive, but Rosalie and Emmett seemed to think we were a joke.

Honestly, Emmett had his moments. He'd voiced his excitement towards our little growing family on numerous occasions. He told Edward that babies are chick magnets, and he told me that I'd make a great mom. He even said that our fifty-fifty plan was brilliant. With Edward living down the hall now, it would lessen the strain parenting will have on either of us. The biggest plus to him: We could keep a separate relationship life.

It was one of the first things we agreed upon, Edward moving. We initially agreed upon this due to the size of our apartment. It wasn't necessarily small, it was perfect. For two people. And while we could have just gotten another apartment, together... well...

I really didn't want his onetime flings around my son or daughter, and he didn't want some guy I like enough to bring around playing daddy. Everytime I thought of Tanya holding my son or daughter, I cringed.

Edward's old room was slowly transforming into some sort of semblance to a nursery. As soon as Esme and Renee found out about the baby, they both sent either of us a crib. And while it was kind of wasteful for the baby to have two rooms, we decided that the master nursery would be in my apartment.

It started getting real after that.

Rosalie was not in agreement with any of this, the room arrangement, the baby, our current relationship status, none of it; but she had no idea just how serious we were. Sure, we knew we couldn't just split the parenting in half and go our own way—we still wanted to be a family. This friendship was about compromise, and the baby comes first. But Emmett was right about that part; we could have a seperate relationship life, if we wanted.

"Don't worry about Rosalie," I told him, grabbing my jacket out of the hall closet. "She isn't going to accept that this will work until she sees it for herself."

He nodded and met me by the door as I slipped my jacket on. He looked over me for a moment, seemingly deep in thought. "You're right. Fuck Rose."

I grimaced. "I mean, that's not exactly what I was trying to say..."

He shook his head. "No, you're right. Let's show her how good parents can be as friends," he opened the door and stepped out the door, looking back to me. "You coming?"

I laughed, following him out the door. "Alright. I'm digging your enthusiasm, Ed."

He shook his head, closing the door behind him to lock up. "Don't call me that."

* * *

The front door flew open and we were immediately bombarded with a rush of screaming.

"Aunt Bella!" Ava came crashing into me, nearly knocking me backwards as she wrapped her arms around my legs. "I missed you."

I laughed, bending over to pick her up and kiss her cheek. "I missed you too, sweet girl," I spotted a streak of marker on her arm and went to wet my thumb with my tongue to wipe it off before Edward's hand shot out to stop me.

"No," he shook his head vehemently. "That's so gross, Bella."

I raised an eyebrow and opened my mouth to argue when Alice appeared in the doorway. She spotted Ava in my arms and dropped her jaw, looking between Edward and me before she pointed to the door. "Did she open this door?"

We nodded dumbly.

"Mother of f— _Jasper_!" she shouted to the top of her lungs, her face reddening with anger as she turned her back to us.

Edward and I stood in the hallway, unsure of what exactly was going on.

Ava cupped her hands around my ear, leaning her front towards me like she had a secret to tell. "Daddy's in trouble," she said, louder than what a whisper qualifies as.

"In trouble?" Edward queried. "What for?"

We soon found out, as Alice started screaming: "You didn't lock the fucking door?! We have a toddler running around the house, dumbass!"

I cringed at the name calling.

Edward and I agreed to tone down the language since we decided to have a kid. Really though, it seemed that our favorite word was 'fuck'. It was always 'fuck this', and 'fuck that' and 'shut the fuck up'. I hated that Ava had to hear her mother cussing out her father, but, sadly, by the look on her face, she was used to it.

I carried her inside and went straight to the kitchen as Edward headed down the hallway. I set Ava on the counter and found a paper towel to clean the marker off of her arms as Jasper and Alice started arguing in their bedroom. I could hear their argument clearly, so I knew Ava could too. I could hear Alice yelling that someone could have taken Ava. Jasper argued that Edward had texted him that he was close just as he got home from work, so he left the door unlocked. Somewhere in the house, Lillian was crying for attention.

The bickering went on for the next five minutes as I focused on getting the—coincidentally—permanent marker from Ava's arm. I attempted to distract her from her parents by asking her about the pictures she drew on her arms.

Edward joined me in the kitchen with Lillian in his arms, lightly rubbing his hands up and down her back in a soothing motion. "Bella, sweetheart, will you turn on the radio, please?" He threw me a wink.

 _Ah. Why didn't I think of that?_

I reached over the counter to power on the radio that Alice kept in the kitchen for the—rare—occasion she decides to cook, and turned up the volume until it was as high as it would go.

I feigned a gasp of excitement as Hall & Oates "You Make My Dreams" filled the kitchen. In an attempt to lighten the mood, I started snapping my fingers and singing along to the song, making Ava crack up with laughter. I did a silly little dance in front of her and got her to start dancing. Worried that she'd fall off of the counter, I set her to the ground as Edward started dancing with Lillian too.

Both girls were laughing hysterically, bickering parents in the next room forgotten as we started dancing with them. I grabbed Ava's hand and showed her how to spin before I dipped her in my arms and bent down to kiss her cheek. She laughed and pushed me away, complaining about cooties.

Edward grabbed my hand and pulled me over to him, singing along to the song. His eyes went wide as my abdomen brushed against his, snapping his mouth closed before his face fell slightly.

"What's wrong?" I asked, looking around myself to make sure Ava was okay. Lillian bounced on Edward's left arm, still laughing, while Ava danced around the kitchen.

"Holy shit," he whispered, low enough so that only I could hear. His eyes were wide as he looked down. He brought his hand between us, resting it over the slight bulge there. "When did this happen?"

I opened my mouth to respond, but I found myself momentarily thrown off by the look in his eyes. He was in awe, looking between my face and where his hand rested. His mouth fell open slightly before he looked up to me. "Bella, I-"

"What is this, a dance party?" I cranked my neck back to see Jasper smiling as he picked up Ava. He looked to us and his eyes went wide with shock, like he'd just seen a ghost. "Oh. Um…"

"Maybe it is," I shrugged. "We were teaching Ava and Em how to dance. The right way."

Jasper looked between us for a moment, not saying anything.

"Are you trying to say I don't have moves? I can dance," he insisted, before he started doing some ridiculous move in front of his girls, shaking his hands and hopping around. Alice came into the kitchen after her husband, furrowing her brows with confusion before Jasper caught her staring and dragged her over to makeshift dance floor.

Edward was still looking at me with that awestruck expression, his hand resting over the bump and a small smile on his lips. He wasn't singing or dancing as he was before, but he looked the happiest of all the dancing and laughing idiots in the room.

"I couldn't button my jeans earlier," I admitted. "I had to switch to the ones with the stretch waistband. I know, I'm-"

"You're beautiful," he interrupted, a smile twitching at his lips. He removed his hand from the bump and brought it to my neck before he kissed my forehead.

Things they don't tell you about pregnancy: it's amazing.

* * *

Edward and I weren't the only ones late for Alice's dinner party. Emmett and Rosalie didn't show up until eight o' clock, when Alice started serving the lasagna. Both of them looked pissed as they took their seats at the dining table.

 _What's with everyone fighting?_

It made me sad. Too often they showed up like this; looking pissed off at something. They put on a fake friendly face and pretended not to be mad with each other, when it made both of them seem condescending.

I was starting to believe that maybe Rosalie didn't really have a problem with Edward and me, more than she was taking her issues out on us.

Honestly, I didn't take her attitude personally. She really had become a shrew of sorts towards all of us, even Alice and Jasper. No one did anything to deserve the cold shoulder she'd given them.

This was different, however. She was being oddly silent, withdrawn. She didn't say much after she kissed my cheek and took a seat beside me, but I could tell she needed someone to talk to.

Rosalie and I had been best friend since we were sophomores in college. She was always the person I could rely on to go to when I needed someone to bitch to, a shoulder to cry on, or just have a laugh with. Life had a strange way of pulling us apart, but I still believed she needed me. We really hadn't talked, at least not how we used to, in months.

There was a strange vacant look in her eyes as she ate, not really participating in any discussion we were having more than she just acknowledged us.

Jasper and Alice, predictably, had pushed their differences aside and started laughing like nothing had happened earlier. My brother kissed his wife's cheek when she said something funny, and Alice bragged about Jasper's sewing skills—he'd fixed Ava's tutu or something like that.

We laughed, drank (with the exception of me, of course), bickered and bantered. The kids played in the living room and ran in to tattle on each other every thirty minutes about so and so breaking something. We lectured them on the dangers of opening the front door without their parents and they listened and picked at their food before leaving the table to destroy Alice's house some more. This was a typical Friday night for us.

Only it wasn't, really.

Because Edward had kissed my cheek twice, my hand four times, and he hugged me almost as much as my goober of a brother did his wife.

Because Rose wasn't being a condescending bitch as she usual was, and Emmett wasn't being the inappropriate buffoon he generally was.

Because everything seemed so odd, and yet it felt natural at the same time.

* * *

"Bella, this can't be good for you."

"I only eat them when I don't have time to get lunch." I didn't have to look up from the Netflix screen to know he was talking about the ramen noodles in my cabinet. I was already half asleep, stuffed and practically comatose from the large meal I'd just had.

"You never have time to get lunch."

"No, but Angela usually buys me Subway."

"She's an editor, not your assistant."

"She looks at Facebook all day. The only thing she edits is her profile page."

He sighed, tossing the ramen on the counter before he flipped the lights off. "I gotta go, Jasper is driving me insane right now."

"Have fun," I mumbled, already drifting off to sleep. I felt lame. I wanted to go out with them, but… no, I really didn't. I was tired and really didn't care what they did. I was content to stay home and sleep on this Friday night.

I felt lips at my forehead and couldn't help but smile. "Sleep," he whispered. "And stop eating bullshit."

"Yes, sir," I saluted him lazily.

I heard the jangling of his keys as he opened the door and locked it. I was already drifting off by the time I heard his heavy footsteps as they disappeared down the hallway. I stared at the Netflix screen for a moment longer before it became impossible to fight sleep.

* * *

 _"_ _Bella," I opened my eyes as Edward hovered over me, dragging his fingers over my arm. I felt his lips at my cheek, trailing down my neck._

 _"_ _Edward?" I asked, reluctant as he drew his arms around my waist to bring me closer to him. I felt his abdomen brush against mine._

 _I held my breath as he brought his hand between us. I looked up to vibrant eyes and found them staring down at me._

 _"_ _Bella, I-"_

* * *

I awoke with a jolt, shooting up from the couch and gasping for air as my eyes flew open. My heart was slamming against my ribcage and I couldn't seem to catch my breath, as if I just went for a run.

 _Edward's right. I need to lay off the ramen noodles._

I yelped as a loud pounding sounded through the apartment, causing my heart to leap in my throat. "What the hell?" I jumped off of the couch and trudged over to the front door.

I looked through the peep hole and relaxed as I caught sight of a head of blond hair. I attempted to catch my breath and settle my erratic heart as I unlocked the door and edged it open.

"Hey," I said, my face falling as I saw Rosalie.

She stood before me empty handed, as if she'd left without her purse. Her cheeks were red and tear-stained, her hair a mess and arms folded over her midsection. "I know I don't really deserve this for the way I've been acting lately, and I'm really sorry..." she huffed out a breath and sniffled, wiping under her eyes. "Can I talk to you for a minute?"

I looked at Rose for a moment, still half-asleep but slowly starting to realize why she was here. She was finally coming to talk to me.

I nodded, taking a step back and opening the door wider to let her in. "Always."

* * *

 **A/N: I know... What a way to end a chapter, right?**


	9. Chapter 8

**A/N: Sorry that took so long :( Leh. Last week was so bad for me, I'm so behind. I promise I will get my shit together and get back to weekly updates.**

 **I am on Facebook now, though :) www dot facebook dot com / vampiregirl93**

 **Just to avoid any possible confusion, after "Fourteen Years Later" we pick up around the time the last chapter ended.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own shit.**

 ** _"For months I've had my doubts, denying every tear. I wish this would be over now, but I know I still need you here."-_ Sam Smith, I'm not the Only One**

* * *

 **Emmett**

 **Fourteen Years Ago.**

I hated Bella Swan.

No, I didn't really _hate_ her. I loved her. But at that moment, I was sure that I hated her.

I believed I was living a comfortable life.

Pre-Bella life was simple. Fridays were spent with my boys; Edward and Peter. We ate pizza at the man-cave, played play station and had a beer (or six) before we called it a night.

Then _she_ came along and wrecked everything.

I knew I was being dramatic; I didn't really hate her.

"Rose should be here soon." SlurryMcSlursALot was already half-lit, and it was only ten at night.

I didn't like bars, but _Bella_ did, and _she_ wanted to go to the Blue Note on Friday night instead of hanging out at the man-cave like we usually did. She'd rather sit in an overcrowded bar with our peers, drinking overpriced beer and singing underappreciated songs.

 _Why is eight dollars for a bottle of beer considered a deal? Because New York hates you._

I didn't have to come, but I sort of did. I spent too much time in my apartment, studying and being a recluse when I wasn't at school. My dad was basically paying me to focus on getting my bachelor degree in psychology at this point, and I wasn't interested in having a social life. I liked my hobbies, but they mostly consisted of gaming and eating.

If eating is considered a hobby.

"Rose _who_?" Peter leaned forward and nudged his shoulder to Bella's, trying to seem friendly when it only served to make him seem like more of a creep.

Edward side-eyed him and took a drink of his beer as Bella pushed Peter away. "She's my roommate."

I didn't know Rose, but Bella claimed that she was "Jessica Simpson, but 2.0". Whatever.

Bella had a tendency to oversell all her friends to us. The last girl she claimed looked like Jessica Simpson looked more like Charlize Theron in "Monster". She was nothing like Bella—had nothing in common with any of us—and knew nothing about gaming or music.

"No, I don't want no scrub, a scrub is a scrubber can't get no cleaner from me," SellerMcOversellsAlot burped halfway into singing over 'No Scrubs' by TLC.

I chuckled as Bella took my face between her hands. "Emmett." She smelled like booze and bad decisions. "I am going to turn that frown upside down tonight, my friend. Tonight is the night you learn to smile."

"Bella," Edward laughed, taking her by her wrist and bringing her over to sit by him. "Sit down and slow down, okay?"

Drunk Bella nodded, twisting her lips into an awkward half-smile, half-frown.

 _I take it all back; I love her._

I decided to buy her another drink, still chuckling to myself as Edward tried to get Bella to drink water, to which she refused by saying, "I'm zen right now, man."

I slid out of the booth, pulling out another thirty bucks to throw away on beer as I made my way through the throng.

Because the Blue Note was so crowded, I had to maneuver between two tables seating people who we're too busy talking to their friends to notice me struggling to squeeze my ass between their chairs.

I noticed one of the girls I took a psychology class with last semester waving at me by the jukebox as I finally freed myself from the table. I managed to return a lazy wave as a passerby bumped into a girl standing at my side, shoving her into my arms.

I quickly caught her by the forearm before she could lose her balance, although she didn't seem too concerned with her well-being as much as the person who knocked into her.

"Really?!" she yelled over the music. " _Asshole_!"

The guy waved a dismissive hand behind himself, mumbling a halfhearted apology.

I looked down at the girl and made sure she had both her feet on the ground before I let her go.

"Are you okay?" Moving my eyes up her form, I stopped at her face and found myself momentarily awestricken as I looked into her eyes. They were bright blue, the color of spring irises.

"Yeah." Her lips curved up into a soft smile as someone behind me complained that they couldn't get by. I took another step towards her so the person could pass, smiling back at her.

"Um…"

I looked down at her again, forgetting what I was going to say.

"So… do you like beer?"

 _What._

 _The._

 _Fuck._

The girl fought a smile, raising an eyebrow at me. She tucked a strand of sunshine-colored hair behind her ear before pulling at the strap on her bag.

"I'm sorry." I shook my head vehemently. "I meant to say 'Do you need help finding somebody?', because you look a little lost and I thought that maybe I could help…"

Her shoulders shook as the smile grew tighter, seemingly unable to control her laughter. Her eyes started to water before she finally busted out laughing and covered her mouth. "I'm sorry," she rasped, wiping under her eyes. "Um… yeah."

Staring back at her and hating myself even more, I nodded my head encouragingly. "Yeah?"

She nodded. "Yeah, I like beer."

"B-Beer. Sweet." I nodded, like a stuttering idiot. I held my hand out to her, shaking my head at my idiocy. "I'm Emmett, and I'm not usually so awkward."

The girl cackled louder and let go of the strap on her shoulder to shake my hand. "I'm Rose, and I'm not usually a crying laugher."

I smirked back at her, glad that I could make her cry-laugh. Even if I was an idiot.

Scanning her eyes around the bustling crowd encasing us, she pursed her lips and looked back to me with those spring blue iris eyes. "Maybe you can help me, Emmett. I'm looking for my friend, Bella Swan."

I couldn't help smiling at her again.

 _Oh Bella… I fucking love you._

* * *

 **Fourteen Years Later.**

I am a man who has made many mistakes. I have wronged a lot of people. I have been dishonest, and cruel.

But my biggest mistake may have been with a woman half my age.

 _Zzzz… zzz… zzz._

The humming sound grew louder as I reached into the pocket of my slacks to retrieve my phone.

"That your wife, old man?"

That was my wife; it usually was.

Lauren was a pretty girl, but far too young. Maybe I would have found her more attractive if she could legally buy a beer with me.

 _When are you coming home?_

There wasn't a day when I didn't get this text.

I replied with a quick: _soon._

The intern with a nose piercing and a joint in her hand sent me a seductive smile as I repocketed my phone.

My brother might have fucked Lauren. He would have liked how simple she was. She was young, naïve, and she probably wouldn't have cared if he never called her again. Those were the kind of girls he hooked up with; girls who could have been his students. Girls who didn't care.

Maybe that's what I liked about Lauren. Her simplicity was intoxicating. Life was so easy for this girl.

"How is she?"

Over a cloud of smoke, I watched the girl slip a piece of green gum between her cherry-red lips.

"You want to talk about my wife?"

This had become a ritual for us, in a way. Sometime after she started working here, sometime after my wife told me she was sick of me, I started meeting this simple girl in the parking garage at my work—after everyone else had gone home to their family and I was too much of a coward to go home to mine.

Leaning towards me, I could smell the thick scent of her perfume as she checked her hair in the mirror. She wet her fingers with her tongue to flatten out the strands of hair that had escaped from the ponytail over her shoulder.

"Why not? You usually have something to bitch about."

Feeling heavy, I brought my hands up to my face and rubbed them over my tired cheeks. I could feel the skin on my face starting to loosen beneath my fingertips, growing somehow softer with age.

Edward told me wrinkles were one of the many side-effects of marriage. That's why he still looked twenty-five, and I looked more like I was in my sixties.

"Don't you have anything better to talk about?" I sighed through my fingers before dropping my hands back into my lap.

My phone vibrated again.

"No." The minty smell of gum now mixed with her perfume, masking the illegal scent of immaturity and dishonesty.

Immaturity has its own scent ... I permeated it.

"She's…" I tried to think of something that I could tell her.

 _Good_ didn't seem like a proper adjective to describe my wife in her current state. I had given that answer countless times. The lie failed to have meaning after the first twenty times I said it to someone.

"Loud…" I answered with a curt nod. "She's loud."

The sound of gum-smacking halted as she looked over me. "That must suck."

I turned my head to look at her fully.

Maybe I liked Lauren because I thought that she was a younger version of me. At twenty, she really didn't care about her job. She didn't really care about much at all.

She was slacked against her seat, stoned and smiling about things that didn't really matter. She didn't have family here, didn't have a care in the world where she went or what happened to her.

I couldn't deny that I care about her … I really did.

In the beginning, I thought this girl was trouble. I thought that she was out to sabotage me, my marriage. I quickly learned that wasn't the case; Lauren is harmless. She wasn't trying to seduce me, despite her seductive smiles and her flirting ways, I truly believed she was looking for a friend.

I thought about my brother telling me that men and women can be friends without factoring sex into the equation. I believed it was possible—Lauren was proof of that.

Rosalie didn't believe it was possible. That's what made her so angry—that after all these years, Edward and Bella remained friends. That's why she didn't know about Lauren… it's one of the few reasons, anyway.

"No." I disagreed with a small smile. "It doesn't."

* * *

I loved my wife.

I loved everything about her.

I loved her blue irises. Her beamy smile… Her witty comebacks.

She was stubborn as a mule. When she was wrong, she would never admit it. It drove me absolutely insane, but… I loved that about her.

I loved the way she cried when she laughed, and she told the stupidest jokes when she was in a good mood. She had a smile that could light up a town, and I missed it. Life had a strange way of taking away smiles.

And I thought that she was the most incredible mother.

"Mum-mum-mum-mum-um-um." My daughter had started talking a little over a week ago, and she wouldn't shut up. I loved that, too.

Her hand secured around the collar of Rosalie's dress, Em had her free hand sticking in her mouth as I walked into the kitchen. I could hear the boys playing in the next room; always screaming, screaming, screaming away.

Rose was talking on the phone as I reached the counter where she stood. "I'm not sure what time we'll be there—Emmett just got home."

I leaned in to kiss her cheek, but she turned her head. I settled for taking Emmy from her arms instead. Em switched hands to slobber on and grabbed onto daddy's shirt, babbling nonsense.

"Dad-da-da-da."

"Bella isn't there, either?" Rose looked back at me once with narrowed eyes, the phone to her ear. "She's running late too…"

I don't know when Rosalie became spiteful, but I figured Bella's happiness had something to do with it.

For years, we'd been placing bets on Edward and Bella.

I was usually the one placing the bet. Each year, I thought my brother would finally admit that he had feelings for her. I figured he'd realize how much he loved her.

That's not the case; Edward knew he loved Bella. He wouldn't admit that he was in love with her, but I was sure that he knew. That's why he lived with her. That's why he didn't want to move on and find someone else to start a life with. That's why he wanted her to have his kid.

At least, that's what _I_ thought.

Rose and I secretly believed that Edward was making this subconscious plan in his head. We were sure that after they had sex, they'd keep doing it and eventually realize they had feelings for each other.

Their new 'plan' threw off our betting system.

Rose thought that Bella becoming pregnant would lead to them fucking again. I was reluctant to agree with her—Bella could be a stubborn bitch. I didn't want to say that she was above pregnancy hormones, because no one could defeat those, but I was sure that she wouldn't try to seduce my brother.

She went fourteen years without having sex with him—I didn't see why she would cave now.

We thought it was tragic how idiotic they were. They spouted all this bullshit about marriage being a mistake, but really, they couldn't have been more hypocritical.

Bella and Edward were like an old married couple. They lived together, were about as co-dependent as two people can be, watched too much TV, and never had sex (that is, with each other).

I was sure I was going to make another hundred bucks off of my wife: the kid would bring them together, not the pregnancy hormones.

* * *

"Emmett!"

With my fingers pressed against my temples, I tried to remember the last place I set my phone.

"Emmett!"

 _Screaming, screaming. Everybody is always screaming at me._

"Emmett!"

I couldn't think anymore.

"Yeah?" I asked, still looking around the room for my phone.

Our bedroom was a mess. We weren't always slobs—it happened sometime after the third kid. We weren't lazy, we just didn't have the time.

I believed time was my worst enemy.

Rosalie appeared at the bedroom door with Emmy on her hip. My daughter was red faced and screaming, screaming, screaming away.

"What's wrong with her?" I asked, still looking around the room for my phone. "Have you seen my phone?"

"I think she has a fever." Rose rested her hand against Emmy's forehead. I tried to think over the screaming. "She won't eat—threw her bottle on the floor."

I took the baby from her arms and started to pat along her back. "Dad-da-da," between sobs, she hiccupped and wrapped her hands around my shirt.

"Shh, daddy's here," I hummed, looking up to Rosalie with a questioning look. "My phone?"

She retrieved it from her back pocket as Emmy's sobs reduced to small whimpers. "Tyler took it off the coffee table." She turned her back to me. "Your whore texted."

 _Huh?_

I watched her exit the room, the phone seemingly burning a hole through my hand as Em mumbled nonsense on my shoulder.

"Dad-da-da-a."

Looking down at my girl, I swallowed back a scream of my own and gave her a smile. "You're not sick, are you?"

Glossy eyes and pouted lips looked up at me as she brought her hand to my face. "Dad-da."

I sighed through puffed cheeks. "It's okay …"

It was far from okay.

* * *

I never stopped loving my wife.

"You left her tie in her car."

I _never_ stopped loving Rosalie, but love wasn't the problem.

My brother is wrong; marriage doesn't ruin relationships. _Relationships_ don't ruin relations. _Lauren_ didn't even ruin my relationship—I did. My carelessness and stupidity put me in this situation. I wanted to blame it on Rosalie. I wanted to tell her it was her fault, that she made me do it.

"I didn't sleep with her."

In her eyes, I saw all the pain I'd caused Rosalie. The bewilderment and betrayal, the confusion and hurt.

I didn't know how to tell her something I knew she wouldn't believe: Lauren was a friend. A young, attractive, friend, who I never touched. But I did confide in her—tell her things I didn't even tell my own brother.

"She sells me pot."

Her eyes glistened with tears that she was too stubborn to cry. "And you take your fucking tie off in her car?"

I felt like I was stuck in a waterhole, looking down at my wife—my world—and I didn't know how to climb out.

Rose used to be my best friend. She used to be the girl I told everything to. I didn't know how it happened; how I stopped confiding in her and started talking to a strange stoner girl instead.

I didn't realize how wrong it was until I saw Rosalie like this.

I fought with her a lot. We had so many petty arguments about the little things, but there was never really anything capable of tearing us apart until this moment. The moment when I found myself caught in a lie I couldn't explain, staring down at the woman who gave me a wonderful life that I never really appreciated enough until she threatened to take it all away from me.

I stood motionless in the center of our bedroom while Rose sat at the end of the bed, standing there like a clueless asshole, not having the balls to say anything because I didn't want to hurt her anymore by telling her the truth.

I didn't want to tell my wife that I wasn't having an affair, because it seemed like telling her the truth would only hurt worse. But I also knew that she wasn't going to accept my silence.

"Her name is Lauren. She's an intern."

"You were fucking the intern… who sold you pot?" She laughed without humor, her head between her hands.

"No." I shook my head vehemently. "She doesn't sell pot—her boyfriend does."

 _Fuck my life._

"She has a boyfriend, too? So you're each other's side-pieces, then?"

"We aren't each other's anything. I didn't sleep with her, I haven't touched her." Like a sorry motherfucker, I put my hands in the air in defense.

"I don't believe you. A _twenty-year-old_ intern."

"I'm telling you the truth."

She stared up at the ceiling, breathing heavily through her nose as she tried not to cry.

I took another step towards her. "Rose—"

"Don't touch me!" Her eyes snapped to me. "You can't even tell me what you're doing with her if you're not fucking her. Don't come near me until you have an answer."

Swallowing back the lump in my throat, I took a step back and shoved my hands into the pockets of my slacks.

A jangling noise sounded from the locked bedroom door. _"Mommy, someone's on the phone!"_ I recognized Tyler's voice calling in from the hallway.

"It's probably Alice." She shot up from the bed and walked over to the door to unlock it. "Let's go. We're late."

* * *

The lyrical genius was singing a Hall & Oates song all wrong. "What I want, you've got time it might get hard to handle."

Sober Bella didn't even know songs.

But my brother seemed to eat it up, trying not laugh, looking at her with stars in his eyes and shit.

Maybe Rose was right; they won't be able to keep this up. He was falling hard.

Of course she was right… she always was.

Rosalie had her head bowed as she pushed her food around the plate, never once participating in the conversation going on around us.

I couldn't blame her—I wasn't there either.

I wanted to tell her how sorry I was. I wanted to take it all back, start from scratch. I wanted to take back those thirty minutes I intentionally spent away from her each day so I could give them all to her.

I probably would have tried to talk to her more, tell her about my day and how shitty it was. Maybe she'd try to rub away my headache and tell me some stupid joke she learned each day that made her laugh until she snorted, and it would only make me love her more.

We would still have problems. We were never a perfect couple—we were far from perfect.

I made a lot of mistakes. I caused a lot of pain, and confusion, and I ruined a lot of things without even trying to. I had been dishonest, and it was cruel how much I really didn't tell my wife. But my greatest mistake might have been with a girl half my age.

* * *

"She's a friend…"

"A friend. She's a girl."

I nodded. "Yes."

"You never touched her?"

"No."

"She's _how old_?"

"Twenty."

"I really never thought you we're capable of lying to me until now."

"I'm not lying."

"You didn't screw the twenty year old intern who sent you a text saying you left your tie in her car? You really expect me to believe that, Emmett?"

Lifting my head, I looked into her eyes and nodded.

 _Please believe me._

"It's the truth."

We were almost exactly as we were two hours ago, only she stood in the center of the room and I sat on the bed with my head in my hands.

"How long have you two been… _friends_?"

I pursed my lips, not really sure.

"Um…" I sighed through puffed cheeks. "A… ten-twelve months?"

She flinched, as though I just fired a gun at her.

"A year. This… is so unbelievable."

I nodded.

I had to give her credit—it was pretty fucking weird.

"Okay." She took a calming breath and looked around the room. "I'm going to go for a walk."

"What?" I asked, standing up as she headed for the bedroom door.

I followed her into the living room. "I need to clear my head, Emmett. Please, just stay here with the kids—"

"Wait, don't just—"

As if on cue, my girl started screaming in the next room. I stood, looking between the hallway and the door my wife was walking out of.

"Rose!" I yelled after her.

"I'll be back, Em. Just stay with the kids, please."

I didn't follow her out the door as my daughter's cries grew louder in the next room.

"Shi—"

* * *

"You have to stop crying, Em." I hummed as I bounced my girl in my arms, trying to soothe her back to sleep.

"Duh-du-du." She rasped between cries.

I had checked her for a fever several times, but that wasn't the case. Em didn't nap today. She didn't want to sleep, she wanted to stay up and party.

I knew this was Rosalie's doing. She stayed up with our daughter during the weekends, and tonight she went to bed at eight. They stayed up watching movies and doing whatever, and I didn't have a clue what to do…

"You have to be quiet. You're going to wake up your brothers."

She whimpered and hit my chin.

"Owe—"

Her cry cut me off.

 _Think, think, think... What would Rosalie do?_

"You want some apple juice?"

Rose wouldn't have said that, but it worked.

It was like I just offered her a million dollars.

The crying ended. She planted her hands on my chest and pushed herself back far enough to give me a questioning look that said: ' _does a bear shit in the woods?'_

My kid did cute shit like that all the time.

"Eh?" It was her way of saying: _duh._

Sighing, I adjusted her on my arms and carried her into the kitchen. "You can't tell your mother about this—she's pissed enough. Deal?"

"Uh-huh," she had her head on my shoulder and her hand already halfway into her mouth.

I wasn't sure that she had any idea what I was talking about, but I nodded anyway. "I'm glad we could agree on this."

"Uh-huh."

I focused on getting her drink ready, popping open a sippy cup with one hand and pouring her juice in it while Em made fake sobbing noises beside me. I knew they were fake because she pouted her lips for extra effect, her eyes on the prize as I poured her apple juice into the cup. She licked her lips as I recapped it, barely letting me tighten the lid before she snatched it from me and started sucking down.

I pouted, watching my poor kid demolish her apple juice, leaning away from me like she thought I was going to take it away from her.

"Didn't you drink anything today?" I asked, tugging lightly at one of her strawberry blond curls.

"Mommy doesn't let her drink apple juice after bedtime!" Tyler's abrupt scream nearly gave me a heart attack, startling Em into drop her sippy. She started crying as I glared at him, bending down to retrieve it.

"What are doing up?!" I tried to sound authoritative, furrowing my brows. "It's past your bedtime, go."

His eyes widened before he turned around and jetted back to his room, lifting up the legs of his pajama pants to gain traction.

Em started mumbling around her sippy cup. "Mum-um-um."

I felt my phone buzzing away in my pocket as Em started asking for her mother in baby-language. She wasn't crying now that she had her fix, but she definitely realized her mother wasn't home now that her brother screamed in to the world.

Retrieving the phone from the slacks I had yet to change out of, I could barely contain my sigh of relief when I saw Rosalie's number flashing across the screen. I put it to my ear.

"Please come back here and talk to me—I'm so sorry that I lied to you, but I would never—"

 _"I want to meet her."_

I could hear someone laughing in the background… Bella?

"Huh?"

 _"I want to meet the girl—the intern."_ Rose laughed, and I furrowed my brows with confusion.

"Um…" I said stupidly, looking down at my kid and pulling the phone away just to check it was her. I was sure that this wasn't real life.

 _What the fuck?_

 _"You say she's just a friend, then there shouldn't be a problem. She does know that you're married, right?"_

"Of course."

 _"Then I don't think that I'm asking for much."_

She really wasn't, but I was still a little freaked out by what she was asking.

"Oh… okay."

I didn't know if Lauren would be cool with meeting my wife, but I couldn't really think of a reason why she wouldn't be, either. I figured I'd drag her ass out here if she refused.

 _Good plan._

 _"Emmett…"_

"Yeah?"

Em started to hit my shoulder for attention, making grabby hands at her apple juice cup.

 _"Lie to me again, and I won't think twice about leaving you."_

I couldn't deny that I, _at least_ , deserved that.

"I won't. I promise—swear to god," I nodded vehemently. Em started to whine in my arms.

 _"And if I meet this girl and suspect, even for a second, that there's something going on, I'll beat the ever loving sh-"_ I couldn't hear anything else but Bella in the background, who started spouting something about violence and tension being bad for the baby.

"I know you don't have a reason to trust me—"

 _"I don't. And I don't understand what the hell is going through your head. She's old enough to be your goddamned daughter, Emmett! We aren't in college anymore!"_ Her voice increased to a wail. " _I figured you got high because of Peter or something."_

"I know." I rinsed off Em's sippy cup and handed it back to her. "I know, it's wrong."

 _"Bella said that kids don't even get high for fun anymore. She said that hood bitches get high on the reg."_

"What?" I furrowed my brows, so confused. "Is Bella drunk?"

 _"No."_ I heard her snort. _"She can't get drunk. She said a friend told her."_

I rolled my eyes. "What hood bitch does she know?"

 _"She lives in Greenwich Village, I trust her judgement."_

"Well, Lauren isn't really a hood bitch, she's an intern, so…"

I heard her sigh. _"We'll talk about this later."_

I looked down at Emmy and sighed. "I'll come pick you up."

 _"Don't, I already called a cab."_

I had made so many mistakes, and I was still sure that my greatest one was a girl half my age.

I never told Rose about Lauren because I didn't think she would understand, when I should have just been honest with her. It wouldn't have solved all of our problems, but maybe we wouldn't have had so many to begin with, had I just talked to my wife about them instead of confiding in a stranger who wasn't even legal drinking age.

I listened to the sound of her soft breathing through the phone, over the persistent unintelligible mumbling of my wide awake daughter, and I didn't really know if what I did was all that forgivable. I was sure it wasn't—I lied to the woman I made a vow to. But it was in this moment that I realized how awful I really had been to her, and I really didn't want to sit in a car and watch a twenty year old fix her hair while I bitched about my life; I wanted to talk to my wife.

"I'll do whatever it takes to make this better."

She was quiet for a few moments. _"I know you will."_

* * *

 **Thank you for reading. We'll get back to ExB next chapter ;)**


	10. Chapter 9

**A/N: I'm sorry. I suck. I know. This has kind of been on the backburner with other fics + RL. Thank you for staying with me!**

 **A few people were not too pleased by the Emmett POV I posted. Let me remind you of my (admittedly, vague) summary: This is a story about friendship and parenthood, love and other mistakes. If I felt like Em &Rose's story did not pertain to Edward and Bella, I would have listed that chapter as an outtake. **

**Also, if it wasn't for that chapter, this chapter wouldn't have happened. So smile. Hopefully. Thank you so much for reading/reviewing/following/favoriting. And a huge bear hug to Maplestyle for recommending this one to the lemonade stand. She just completed a fawkawesome fic called Love Hurts and you should check it out.**

 **Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable character, settings, etc. go to SM.**

* * *

 **One Week Later.**

 **Edward**

I was just trying to eat my KFC and state my opinion.

"I'm trying to understand, I really am—"

"No, you're not." Bella had a hand on her waist, one foot out and a finger in my face. "You're being an inconsiderate motherfucker!"

I tried not to laugh. I really did. We were fighting over nothing; a difference in opinion. She hit me with a chicken wing. Hit my leg, but still … she threw a fucking chicken wing at me.

I stared down at my friend, my firecracker baby-momma. She was red-faced, fists balled at her sides as she stared up at me with those dark brown eyes. She was so feisty, and it was turning me on.

I shook my head, trying to shake those thoughts out of my head.

I had been so close to dropping the 'L' word on her last week. It was a moment of weakness, and a terrible idea, but … it just happened. I had felt it, felt that fucking bump, and the word was on my tongue, unavoidable.

I tried to shake myself out of my feelings. I told myself that I was crazy.

 _It's the sex. That is what has got me all fucked up. I just like getting it in with Bella … and only Bella._

It was just once, but that was all it took.

All it took for me to knock her up (apparently I had super sperm), and all it took for me to go crazy.

I hadn't even looked at a fucking porno since that night. My spank-bank had been completely emptied and replaced with—

"Stop looking at me like that, you traitor!" she screamed, eyes welling with tears.

 _Looking at her like what?_

"I'm done fighting with you." I shook my head, putting on my best 'Don't fuck with me' face. "We're not letting _their_ shit-" I waved an index finger between us. "Get between _our_ shit." I wasn't sure where I was going with that one, so I shook my head. "You're getting worked up over nothing, Bella."

I didn't want to call her out on being a crazy bitch, but she had been acting like this for a week. Ever since that night when she had her talk with Rose, those two were best fucking friends again. She fed us all this crap about violence not being the answer, but hit me with a chicken wing as soon as I called Rosalie a cunt.

 _It's those fucking pregnancy hormones,_ said rationality. _And she's going to blame it all on you, motherfucker._

Feisty stared up at me, her knuckles turning white. Her cheeks were tinged pink, her jaw clenched and her eyes burning holes through mine.

"I'm taking a shower." She turned her back to me, marching out of the living room and down the hall. "Get your fucking facts straight, Cullen."

I snorted a laugh, scrubbing a hand over my forehead. "Yes, dear."

"Don't sweet talk me, motherfucker!" she yelled, slamming the bathroom door closed.

I stood in the middle of the living room, holding my chicken, staring at the place she last left, trying to figure out what exactly was going on.

"She'll be alright." I nodded to myself.

… _Yeah, whatever you gotta tell yourself_.

"You know..." She came out seconds later, wearing a tight tank top instead of the red sweater she had on earlier.

 _Her boobs are fucking huge._

"That was a shitty thing Emmett did, and you really have the _audacity_ to defend him?"

I threw my chicken down.

 _Fuck it._

"He wasn't even having an affair, Bella!"

"He lied for _months, a year_ about what he was doing." She waved a hand through the air. "It's _that_ sketchy behavior that ruins marriages! I think your father can attest to that—King of the Players."

"What?" I shook my head as my blood began to boil, my head spinning. _Keep it together, Cullen._ "What does my _dad_ have to do with this?!"

"He's been married _six_ times, Edward!" She held her fingers up to my face. " _Six!_ It's no wonder why you can't commit to anyone, your dad is a manwhore, and you and your brother are the same way!"

 _Where. The._ Fuck. _Did that come from?_

I told myself that it was the hormones again.

"I'm a manwhore?" I pointed to myself. "Me? Bella, I haven't even had sex since—" _You._

"It doesn't matter." My bipolar baby-momma took a deep breath and shook her head. "I'm not accusing you of sleeping around, which I wouldn't care if you were, because that's your business." She looked up to the ceiling. "But Emmett lied to Rose, and he was wrong."

"He was." I agreed. _But she's still a bitch._

"She didn't deserve to be lied to."

"No." I nodded. "She didn't. But, Bella, Rose has been—"

"If you call her a cunt again—" she showed me her teeth, like she was going to snap at me.

 _Fuck, she's so cute._

 _STOP._

"Distant." I nodded to appease her. "And—" _She's kind of a total bitch._

I hadn't always thought so low of Rose, but I changed my mind sometime after she started treating Bella and I like dirt for deciding to have a baby together. Maybe if she had sucked up her pride and realized that we were going to do what we decided, whether she liked it or not, I would have helped her out a little. But no, she chose to be a bitch. I had no sympathy for her.

I did not have a problem with admitting that my brother was wrong; he was. He always had a stick up his ass, but I was starting to believe that Rosalie's cuntiness had something to do with that. I figured that if he felt like he couldn't speak with his wife, it was her fault.

We were supposed to meet his mistress—friend, whatever—the following weekend, and I was dreading it. I had no interest in being involved with this odd situation, but my brother asked that I be there just in case.

I shook my head as I gazed down at Bella, finding this argument oddly humorous.

 _My brother's an idiot. Rose is a drama queen. I'd rather rub Bella's baby bump and watch The Walking Dead than watch those two idiots._

Then again, I was curious about the girl. What the hell was Emmett thinking? She was a girl—could have been his kid. Emmett was acting like a child, meeting up with this woman each day, getting blazed and bitching about his life. He should have been at home with his wife and kids.

It was bizarre.

"I'm done fighting with you." She shook her head. "You're a jerk."

 _It's like she's fucking five._

I groaned, turning my back to her and fisting my hands in my hair.

* * *

Fifteen minutes later I joined Bella in the bathroom.

"This is so gross," Bella whimpered, her shoulders trembling as she hunched over the toilet. I winced as she started dry-heaving.

I held her hair in my hands, my feet planted on either side of hers while she retched.

"Sorry," I whispered, feeling my chest swell with remorse and admiration for the woman who was puking her guts out in the toilet to make my ridiculous dream come true.

"Me too," she whimpered again, and I felt even shittier.

Bella had been doing well the previous months. She had not shown any signs of morning sickness up until this point, and I worried it might have been the argument that did her in.

" _Bllaugh_ ," I cringed at the sounds she made.

"I mean I'm sorry I yelled at you—" the word transformed into a gag. I grimaced as vomit smell hit my nose.

"I am too, Honey," I used my free hand to rub circles in her back.

I gagged over my shoulder, my stomach telling me: _'get the fuck out of here, man'._ I never became a doctor for a reason; this was it.

I held my breath as I leaned towards her. "You alright, baby?"

She nodded, closing the toilet lid and resting her cheek against it. "Uh-huh."

"You want to brush your teeth?"

She shook her head as I let go of her hair. "Not yet."

"Do you want me to call a doctor?"

"No." She wiped her mouth and sat back on her heels. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to go off on you like that, but just … "

"What?" I grabbed a towel for her.

"I can't really explain it to you, so will you just trust me when I tell you Rose isn't a bitch? I mean, she has her reasons, and she is sorry for acting how she did. Just give her a chance."

"Okay." I nodded. "I'll give her a chance. One. But we're never fighting over them again."

"Understood." She nodded, taking the towel from me. "Never again."

* * *

 **~Children of Friends~**

* * *

 **One Week Later.**

Bella was driving me insane. I almost _positive_ that she was intentionally dressing this way to drive me nuts, and it was sick.

 _What kind of game is she playing?_

I looked at my baby-momma, trying to figure out how to tell her to change her fucking outfit or get out of my face, but I really just wanted to attack her.

 _This isn't fair,_ said my inner teenager. _This is not. Fucking. Fair._

"I'm drinking twelve-dollar water, and I have to tell you guys, it taste like two-dollar water to me." Bella tossed her menu on the table, releasing an exaggerated sigh. She started finger twirling a brunette curl. "This restaurant gets two stars if we have to pay for the toilet paper, too."

I heard nothing. My eyes were glued on her tits at the moment, and whatever was said went in one ear and right out the other.

We were supposed to have a nice, "quiet" dinner with Rose, Emmett, and this Lauren chick (she still hadn't showed up yet). I figured it would have been an okay night, until Bella met me on Madison Avenue after work, wearing a short black wrap dress that seemed to be missing the top five buttons.

I sat there, looking at my friend's boobs with furrowed brows, having little to no shame.

Okay, there was a little shame. It came and it went, as I imagined burying my face between her boobs and motor-boating those puppies.

 _You need help,_ said rationality; that bitch in my head who always knew what to do. _You need to do something about this, because it's getting out of hand._

"Professor," Bella said in her sexy little voice, although I couldn't tell if it was just in my head at this point. "You need to avert your eyes to the waiter, he's waiting to take your drink order."

"Beer." I cleared my throat and forced myself to look away from her, averting my gaze to the ceiling.

"What kind, sir?"

"I don't care, just bring me beer." He wrote something down and I held my hand up. "No wait, don't bring me anything by Budweiser. Anything but Pissweiser, please."

"Of course, sir." He gave me this look that said: _'I would never make you drink that shit.'_

I nodded, looking back to Emmett. My brother was sitting at the edge of his seat, staring off into space—not paying any attention. "He'll take a Bud Light," I ordered for Emmett.

The waiter, Derek, told us he would be right back.

Moments later, a short girl wearing a tight black number appeared alongside a boy who made me drop my jaw at his bizarre attire. The guy was wearing a stained gray blazer with a Radiohead tee shirt beneath. I felt my eyes go wide as I looked down at the holey white skinny jeans he wore.

He looked like he had just stepped off the set of a One Direction music video shoot.

"Who the hell is this?" I asked, earning myself a shoulder slap from Bella.

"Rude."

"L-Lauren," Emmett choked upon realization. He shot out of his chair and made to hug her, but abruptly dropped back down in his chair.

"I'm so sorry I'm late!" Lauren exclaimed, taking a seat in the empty chair next to me. "Oh my god, you guys will _never_ believe the night I've had. It was totally insane, forrealskies. Oh! And this is Benny, my boyfriend."

Blazer guy lifted his hand as he took a seat in the chair beside Lauren. He gave me a chin jerk. "Sup."

Bella snorted a laugh.

Rose smiled, surprising the shit out of me.

I nodded back at him. "Sup."

"Wow," Lauren said, looking around the restaurant. "I've never been to a place like this before. Most of my friends just want to chill at the bar."

"Which bar?" Bella chimed at my side.

"The Blue Note— _oh_ , you must be Bella!" Lauren smiled widely. "I've heard so much about you!" She stood up and reached across the table to shake Bella's hand.

I stared at Lauren skeptically, wondering if she was in one of my classes at one point.

"You have?" Bella put on an unreadable smile and shot Emmett a glare. "That's lovely."

Emmett cleared his throat. "Uh, yeah, Lauren, that's Bella. This is my wife, Rosalie, and my brother, Edward."

Lauren forced a wide too-friendly smile as she turned to Rosalie. "Hi Rose, it's so nice to meet you."

Rose smiled back.

"Lauren." She cocked her head to the side. "So nice to finally meet you."

I clenched my teeth in an attempt not to laugh. I had to give Rose a little credit; she was trying.

"So wait ..." Bella straightened her shoulders out as Lauren reclaimed her seat. "What exactly did you hear about me?"

Lauren crossed her legs and opened her mouth, but didn't come up with anything.

I palmed my face, dragging my fingers across my cheek, praying that I would wake up from this nightmare.

 _This was a terrible fucking idea._

"I—um—I heard that you have a baby on the way with Emmett's brother. That's wonderful." She looked from me to Bella and back. "And that your brother also married Emmett's sister, which is crazy awesome, because you guys are such good friends."

"We are," Bella spoke through a dimply smile. " _Such_ good friends. We tell each other everything."

I looked at Bella with furrowed eyebrows.

 _What game is she playing tonight?_

"Anyway," Bella sighed, relaxing her shoulders as she turned back to Lauren. "Tell us about your crazy night, Lauren."

The girl relaxed back in her chair, looking towards Benny. "It was _insane."_

Lauren started rattling off some tale about how she took a cab all the way to Brooklyn earlier because Benny with White Skinnies googled the wrong address. I tried to pay attention, but my focus kept wavering with Bella's boobs being so close.

A few moments later, Derek dropped off my beer, and then proceeded to take Lauren and Ben's orders. As he was leaving, I lifted my head and tuned into the conversation as I took a drink of my beer.

"Anyway, that is how I ended up getting both nipples pierced tonight." I turned my head and felt beer shooting out of my nose and mouth at the same time, aiming it right at Bella.

The whole table busted out laughing. Bella dropped her jaw as my beer worked down her chest and soaked into her dress.

She bit her lip through a smile, looking down at her soaked chest with widened arms. "Thanks, Edward."

"I'm s-sorry." I coughed, still choking on my beer. I covered my mouth and looked at her through watery eyes. "Went down the wrong pipe."

"Miss, one of the waiters is fetching a towel for you." Derek kneeled down at her side, shooting me a disdainful look. "You too."

I shook my head, scooting out of my chair.

"I think I'm just going to go to the restroom," Bella said apologetically, smiling up at Derek, who was now checking out her rack. "Thank you."

I grabbed her hand to help her up, death-glaring at the back of Derek's head as he walked away. "I am so sorry Bella, I don't know what happened."

I tried to avoid looking at her soaked tits, but my eyes—having a mind of their own—went there involuntarily. Bella smiled, looking up at me with wide brown eyes. "I'm just going to go to the restroom, and you're going to help me clean this up, and I'll try not to kill you. Deal?"

 _Fuck yes._

"D-Deal." I couldn't tell if I was still choking on my beer or if it were her words. "Right, okay. Let's go."

"Wait! What do you want to eat?" Rose asked as we stepped away from the table.

"Surprise me," Bella told her. "No sea food."

I nodded. "Same here."

I took ahold of Bella's hand and led her through the tables, towards the back of the restaurant.

"What is up with you tonight?" she asked, laughing.

" _Me_? What's up with you? With your fake smiles and your flimsy dresses." I scoffed over my shoulder, practically dragging her along with me. "I can see your nipples, Bella."

"It was on sale at H&M," she insisted, as I located the handicapped restroom and pushed the door open.

"H&M? Are you a twenty-year-old hipster now? Dress like you usually do. Turtle necks. Khakis. Things like that." I locked the door behind us, searching the room for something clean Bella's dress with.

"I never wear khakis … and I thought I looked nice."

"Exactly," I blurted out, pulling an abundance of napkins from the dispenser by the sink. She took a seat on the counter and took some of the napkins out of my hands, shoving them down her dress. "Don't get me wrong, you look beautiful."

"Thanks." She smiled as she tried to clean the mess I made. I focused on getting the beer off her shoulders and out of her hair. "I just feel so old. I thought I'd try to spice up my wardrobe a little since I need new clothes anyway. I'm trying not to be so boring."

"You're not boring," I whispered, pulling a napkin through her hair. "And even if you were, I wouldn't change that about you. You're perfect just the way you are."

I wasn't sure exactly what I was saying at this point. I had always felt so out of character except when I was with Bella, and it seemed ridiculous to me that she would try to be someone she's not.

"What if I _want_ to act like a pregnant hipster?" She looked at me through dark lashes, the corners of her lips upturned with a teasing smile. "What if I wanted to act like a twenty-year-old, would you still love me?"

I looked up from her lips and into her eyes. "Yeah," I nodded. "Of course I would. Forrealskies."

I didn't have any doubts about that.

"Okay." Sending me a smile, she reached into her dress to pull the napkins free and threw them in the sink. She looked up at me and puffed her cheeks out. "Can you really see my nipples?"

Still gazing into dusky brown eyes, I shook my head once.

It wasn't a total lie; I wasn't looking, for once. I was afraid of what might happen if I did. I wasn't sure I could contain myself at this point. My sanity was hanging by a thread, and it would only take one small tug for it to snap.

"There aren't any other girls," I blurted out, blinking rapidly as I realized how idiotic my statement seemed.

She furrowed her eyebrows and dropped her hands to her side, confused. "What?"

I wanted to slap myself for saying something so random. "No, I—uh—I'm sorry, that came out of nowhere." I shook my head vehemently. "Last week, you said something about me sleeping with other people. You said it's none of your business, when it is, and I'm not."

"Oh." Her lips formed into an 'O' shape before she cracked a small smile. "Okay."

I wanted to ask if she had been seeing anyone, but I also knew it wasn't any of my business. I also knew that I spent every waking moment with her, so I didn't really have any reason to suspect she would be sleeping with anyone either.

I wasn't going to lie and tell her that I wouldn't care if she did, though. My blood boiled just thinking about her sleeping with someone else.

I knew it was wrong, and I suddenly felt all the dread of possibilities weighing down my shoulders.

 _Bella isn't going to stick around and be boring with me forever,_ said rationality, the voice in my head that I tended to pay attention to. _She's going to find someone else. She's going to fall in love; this baby isn't going to keep us bound together forever._

I was starting to realize that she was so much more than a best friend to me. She was more than the mother of my unborn child, and that's precisely why she was the one carrying our baby in the first place. I couldn't think of anything else I wanted more at that moment than to kiss her and beg her to let me do it for the rest of my life.

I was in love with Bella; she was my wonderwall.

It no longer mattered to me how dangerous my emotions were, or that relationships never worked. I felt like I had wasted half of my life thinking those things, and I hadn't ever proved anything except that I was a coward.

What I had known was that we could be dead by tomorrow, and I couldn't think of anything else that I would rather be doing than kissing her.

I already had everything I could have ever wanted, but it meant nothing without her.

"You okay?" she asked, looking up to catch me gazing back at her. "Oh no, did he give you the Bud Light instead? Are you going to throw up? Just tell me, Edward. Oh God, please don't throw up on me."

She quickly hopped down from the sink and tried to step away from me.

"Ah!" With wide eyes, I watched as Bella slipped on one of the paper towels on the floor, so quickly that I didn't think I'd be able to do anything about it. I felt my hand shoot out to grab her by the forearm and another at her waist before she could fall backward.

Holding her awkwardly in my arms, I tried to assess her current state to make sure that she hadn't broken anything. Terrified, I didn't move a muscle as I looked over her. "Bella, are you okay? Does anything hurt? Is the baby—"

"Yeah." She lifted her head, gasping. "I'm okay—we're okay. It just scared me. That happened so fast. I can't believe you caught me."

With my heart slamming in my chest from the initial panic of watching her slip and possibly hit her head against the sink and die right before my eyes, I stared wide-eyed at my beer-scented wonderwall. I didn't even think about my next move, it was motivated by the immense relief I felt with knowing that she was okay.

I leaned down and pressed my lips against hers.

Bella gasped.

And I lost my grip on her waist, which sent her falling to the floor.


	11. Chapter 10

**A/N: *bows head and waves nervously* hi, guys. So … I'm just going to leave this here…**

 **Disclaimer: I own nothing**

* * *

 **Twenty Minutes Later.**

 **Bella**

"Will you stay still?!"

"It's ice cold!" I wailed, sucking air between my teeth.

"Just give me a few moments, try to get used to it."

"You're pushing too hard."

"I'm staying still."

"No, you're shaking and pushing harder." I groaned.

"You promised we'd try. The sting will go away in a minute."

Edward pulled the icepack away and I sighed in relief, clutching my bruised elbow in my free hand. "Thanks," I breathed happily, smiling. "You were right; it feels better."

"Told you." He grinned. "You're such a baby."

I held out my arm and peered around the restaurant, blushing when I found Emmett and Rose staring at us with raised eyebrows. Lauren and the guy from One Direction were both lost in their phones, seemingly bored out of their minds.

I sighed then, wishing Edward hadn't freaked out in the bathroom earlier. As soon as I wiped out, he starting screaming, jumping around me and tried to find his phone so he could call 911. I had to slap him out of it; he was convinced I was going to die.

"I have never seen someone make such a big deal over a bruise," Rose deadpanned, narrowing her eyes at Edward.

He squared his shoulders at her. "Who are you talking to, Princess? You know what, Rose—"

I cut him off before I could witness his possible murder. I felt exhausted from all the excitement and I wasn't ready to break up another unnecessary fight. "I think we should probably get going," I suggested, hopping off the stool I had been propped on for the last half-hour. Edward forced me sit there at the bar like a toddler so that he could do a thorough examination on me. "Everything is good here, right? We can leave you here with …" I trailed off, but Lauren didn't seem to be listening. She was chewing on a piece of bubble gum loudly, smacking her gums together as she typed away at her phone.

I sent Rose a questioning look, silently asking her if we were okay to leave them here with Lauren and her boyfriend. She returned a tight smile and turned to face Edward, glowering in his direction. "Yep, we're good. Keep Edward away from the booze."

Edward bowed his head, pursed his lips and sighed lowly.

Poor guy.

"He didn't really drink," I defended lamely, although I was beginning to question whether or not that was the truth.

I look away from him, trying to convince myself that this was all just some twisted dream. He didn't kiss me post-fall, pre-drop.

Nope.

Not at all.

"Come on," he mumbled, taking my hand to lead me to the exit. I felt a zap of elecricity at my fingertips, alerting me that this was no fucking dream.

This was Edward Cullen, and yes, he just pulled a classic dip-kiss-drop on me.

Oddly enough, I kept my fat mouth shut on the way home. I felt like a teenager, silently blushing as I replayed the incident over and over again. Even as we got to our building, I felt like my cheeks would burst into flames at any given minute. For some reason this felt like an awkward first date instead of a normal night out.

I mean, surely he was just drunk, right?

 _What the fuck was he thinking?_

"What are you thinking?" he asked as we stepped onto the elevator. I turned to see his eyebrows drawn together in concern. "You're not really hurt?"

I looked up to the ceiling and shook my head. "Nope—feel fine." I pursed my lips and stared at bright lights in the elevator, silently wishing I could stop being such an irresolute bitch and just tell him what I was thinking. "Well …" I began, tilting my head to the side. The elevator stopped, only the doors didn't open right away. "What's going on?"

Edward furrowed his eyebrows, reaching over to tap on the call button. "Uh …" he laughed nervously. "I think we're stuck." He peered around himself before reaching into his pocket to pull out his cell. "Hang on a sec, I'll call the office."

I nodded, relaxing my back against the furthest wall.

 _Perfect. Now I'm stuck in an elevator with him._

Edward spoke on the phone for a few minutes before he hung up and turned to me. "Gustav said they're working on it, but it could take up to fifteen minutes."

I nodded again, trying to find something else to focus my attention on. Suddenly the floor seemed fascinatingly filthy. I wondered how often they cleaned it.

Edward resumed his position at my side. "Are you—"

"So," I interrupted, clearing my throat. "Um … Lauren is nice."

 _You weak bitch,_ my inner evil-Bella scolded. _You can't even ask him what that kiss was about. It's not like_ you _initiated it._

 _But what if it was an accident?_ Hormones asked.

 _You know that shit wasn't an accident,_ the Rose side of Bella argued. _He stuck his tongue down your throat. You tasted those beer-flavored lips and loved it._

"You still think Emmett was having an affair?" he asked, raising a teasing brow.

"I never did," I replied coolly. "And I bet Rose feels better about it too, considering she started gossiping with Lauren five minutes in. I can't really tell if she's just playing along at this point. Still, you have to admit that their situation is strange."

"It is," he agreed. "But now you know he was never fucking Lauren. Rose and Emmett have a lot of issues they need to sort out, but I don't think Lauren is one of them."

"No, she isn't." I shook my head, glancing back at him.

 _Communication is key,_ Renee's voice rang in my head.

 _Spit it out, dipshit._

"Why did you …?" I stuttered, then shook my head.

I resisted the urge to slap myself.

"Look, Bella," he began. "I'm sorry about what happened in the bathroom. Shit-no, not sorry ... Jesus Christ, I'm horrible at this."

I lifted an eyebrow. "Edward, you don't have to explain."

"No," he protested. "No, it's not that I regret kissing you, but I didn't mean to do it like that. I suppose I got a little carried away with that one," he mused, pursing his lips.

I opened and closed my mouth, watching him.

 _Do_ what _like_ _that?_

"It was … unexpected," I agreed, fiddling with my hands.

 _And don't forget fuck-hot, Mr. Beer-Lips._

"I don't really know what I'm doing, Bella," he confessed. I glanced back at him to discover his eyes focused on the ceiling. "I'm really trying here. Honestly, I am. But I don't know if this is going to work out as we planned."

I felt my throat tighten. "What … what does that mean?"

He faced me and gestured between us with his pointer finger. "This arrangement, Bella. I don't think it will work out as we planned."

I was sure I was choking at this point, panicking. My heart picked up twice the speed it was before, my eyes widening. "You're backing out?"

His eyes went wide too. He held his hands out, shaking his head vehemently. "No, no! I'm not backing out, Bella. I would never, never, just back out and leave you and the baby."

My throat uncoiled slightly and I exhaled, dropping my gaze to the floor. "Okay," I rasped. "I thought I was going to have to strangle your ass. And what do you mean 'work out'? I know it'll be hard but—"

"Shh," he hushed me, placing his hand over my mouth, suddenly a foot away from me. I glanced up with furrowed brows, wondering what the hell was happening. "Will you shut up for a minute? Stop jumping to conclusions and give me a fucking chance to say what I mean."

"Dick," I mumbled against his fingers.

He frowned. "Can I talk?"

I nodded, closing my eyes for a minute.

"I just think—"

"Can do."

I opened my eyes and felt my lips pull up into a smile when I saw his dark glare. I zipped my lips and threw away the key. "Sorry. Continue."

"Give me the key, Bella."

I frowned and reached into the pockets of my hipster dress (who knew these dresses had pockets? I didn't: bonus), slapping the imaginary key in his hand. He sighed and pocketed it before looking back at me. I swallowed back the golf ball in my throat and nodded, encouraging him to go on.

He swallowed thickly and licked his lips. "Look, I know this was my idea to begin with—and please don't think I'm trying to tell you I'm done—I don't want out. I want in, I want to do this with you."

I wanted to say something so bad, but I couldn't; he had the key.

"I didn't kiss you on accident tonight … I mean, I've wanted to do that ever since—fuck, I don't even know when, Bella," he palmed his cheek, looking down at the floor.

I felt my heart jump out of my chest.

"No, I think maybe I wanted to tell you that I wanted more, but I couldn't?" he asked, furrowing his brows. "I love you, so much that sometimes it hurts. Like I look at you and I get so fucking happy you chose me to start a family with, and I know it's greedy to want more—but I do want more. You're my best friend, my partner. I want it all with you. And I know I'm taking a risk here, spilling my heart out, but if you don't want the same with me I … I can live with that, just tell me."

He reached into his pocket and held his hand out, keeping his eyes on the floor. "You can have your key back."

I took it back, my heart going crazy in my chest. I shifted, the walls of the elevators closing in around me.

"You …" I began, unsteady. My heart was seconds away from exploding, the panic spreading through my chest and arms. "Y-You want more?"

He watched me carefully and nodded slowly, his dark green eyes piercing through mine. I didn't know what to say.

Of course I wanted "more", but I also wasn't sure what that meant, in retrospect. This was my best friend, but I was the one who spent most of my life avoiding situations—commitments—like these. And yet I dove headfirst into the biggest commitment of my life with him.

I shook my head to myself.

 _I'm such an idiot._

How much more could I lose?

I knew all things weren't bound to end in bloodshed, but living with a mindset such as mine for thirty plus years; I was good at dodging anything resembling a relationship, or any sort of commitment at all for that matter. The only thing I ever stuck with were the trivial things, and then school, or my job. And then there was Edward.

With him I had so much to lose. Everything. He was my best friend, my partner in crime, my every-fucking-thing, and, yeah, he was really nice to look at, so of course I had kinky sex dreams about him. That's normal, right?

"How … um …" I hesitated, unsure how to begin. My mind was reeling, my heart racing. "How does that ... _work_?"

I caught his lips twitching; visibly struggling not to smile. "Well, you're new to this, and so am I … so maybe we should start slow?" he formed that statement into a question. "That's moving backward in a way, since we already made love."

I swooned a little.

 _He said, "Made love."_

I shook my head then, more to myself than him.

 _Grow up, bitch._

"Okay … so what, you want to date your baby momma then?" I joked, trying to keep it lighthearted, even if I was having a panic attack inside.

His lips broke out with a brilliant smile. "I suppose that's what I want … to _date_ you."

I wasn't sure if it was the baby kicking—it was too early for that—or if I had gas. But just then, it felt like a million little butterflies swam up my stomach and burst through my chest. I wanted to kick myself.

Instead of letting my blush get the best of me, I took a step forward and shrugged.

"So I was _that_ good, Professor?" I asked him flirtily. I poked his chest teasingly and he caught my finger.

He laughed aloud—this relieved, breathy chuckle that made me feel at ease. "Don't flatter yourself, Swan." He took a step back, released my finger and I frowned. "I'm not doing this to get you in bed again," he narrowed his eyes and shook his head. "No, that definitely has something to do with it."

Curious, I leaned against the handle and looked back at him. "What is it then?"

He met my eyes again, reaching around to touch the back of his neck. "I don't know …" he groaned. "I mean … what if you'd found someone else, Bella? I couldn't live with that, not knowing if you didn't give me a chance beforehand."

I felt that nagging anxiety in my chest again, the kind that left a lump forming in my throat. I looked back to the floor, wondering the same thing.

Could I live with knowing Edward was with someone else? That he wasn't happy enough with _our_ family?

For some reason, tears sprung to my eyes at the thought.

 _Fucking hormones._

I sucked back a sob and nodded, staring at the floor. "Yeah, me neither."

That would break my heart.

 _I'm such a stupid bitch._

"Hey." He was suddenly in front of me. Professor Magician took my face in his hands, forcing me to look up at him. He panicked when he saw me crying. "Are you okay? Bella, I didn't mean to—"

"I'm fine," I promised, shaking my head. "I'm just crazy emotional right now, and I think I'm getting a hot flash in this elevator."

He nodded in acceptance, although his eyes still wandered over my face. "You do look flushed," he murmured, brushing his thumb over my cheeks. "Don't overthink it, okay? Just … I don't know," he sighed out, aggravated. He dropped his hands. "Nevermind, it was a bad idea. Fucking—forget it."

I panicked. "What?!" I half-screamed, jumping to his side. "Fuck no, not never mind! We're going on a date, Dickward. Don't you dare change your mind now!"

I saw a smile threatening to break through his lips. He shrugged, turning his back to me.

"Whatever."

I punched his forearm and he cowarded away from me. "Stop fucking—"

"That's a dollar in the swear jar."

"—with me."

He laughed, grabbing my arm to pull me close to his chest. I felt his arms envelope me and his lips touch my head. "I'm sorry, but I mean it … I really want more with you …" I pulled back to look at him. He seemed to be concentrating on something, so I took a step back to give him his space.

"We probably shouldn't tell the others, though," he mumbled to himself. "They're so fucking intrusive at times—there's no telling what they'll do."

 _The others_ were nosey, so much that it would be difficult to hide this sort of thing from them.

I nodded in agreement. "Fuck them." I covered my mouth with my hands and Edward curved an eyebrow, amused. I dropped my hands to my sides. "I mean, yeah you're right, we shouldn't tell anyone."

He nodded. "We should see if it works out first."

"And if it doesn't?"

He sighed. "I think we'll always be … _friends_ , regardless of what happens. Even if this doesn't work ... no, we can _make_ it work. We'll always be a family. No matter what, we won't let our shit, or anyone else's, for that matter, get in the way of that."

I opened my mouth to respond, just as the elevator came to life again, and with it, a random thought popped into my head.

"I want to move," I blurted when the doors opened.

He frowned. "What?"

I rolled my eyes to myself. "Nevermind, it's just a thought … I keep wondering if this place is really safe to have a baby? It's kind of small … and really, uh, I don't know." I walked ahead of him and fished my keys out of my bag.

"You really want to move?" he took my keys away from me and I suppressed the urge to snatch them back. He opened the door and I stepped into my apartment.

"Yeah, no," I mumbled, removing my jacket to hang it in the closet.

"So what is it then? Yeah or no?"

"Yeah, no, it was just a thought."

"Bella, you do realize you're not actually telling me yes or no, right?"

"No, yeah, I don't know why I said that." I walked past him to go to the bathroom, and, of course, he followed me. "So how are we doing this? Do we start having sex now, or …?"

 _I don't know what's wrong with me, stop asking._

I took my earrings out and set them on the bathroom sink as he watched from the doorway. "Uh," I heard him hum. "Maybe we should go on a date first? I heard it's a bad idea, you know … rushing into the sex."

I held a scowl and turned to him, pointing down to the bun in the oven. "Seriously?"

He got a distant look in his eyes, as though he were actually thinking about it. I smirked, reaching for the hem of my dress.

"Yeah, no, I'm serious," he said, snapping his eyes to me. "I want to do this right, Bella. I think that should require a certain amount of premeditation."

I stared at him.

"So …?" _No sex?_ I frowned again.

"What the fuck?" He laughed loudly. "Ten minutes ago you were freaking out, thinking about going on a date with me, and now you're ready to jump into bed with me?"

I blanched.

 _Uh … pretty much_?

"Wonderwall," he murmured, staring at the bathroom ceiling.

"What?" I asked.

He shook his head. "What about Friday night?"

"Friday?" I echoed.

He smiled, that, knock-me-to-my-knees, cheek-to-cheek smile. "Yeah, we should do something somewhere Friday."

I pursed my lips, fighting back my kneejerk response: _We should do something Friday. Like each other, in my bed, or yours._

"Friday's good," I told him, smirking.

He rapped on the door frame a few times, watching me. "You didn't have a joke with that?"

I bit my lip, shaking my head. "Nope. I'm good. We'll do it on Friday."

"You're acting strange," he noted, narrowing his eyes.

I shrugged.

"Not everything is a joke, Edward." I walked up to the door, eyeing him. "Now if you'll excuse me, my tits smell like beer and I really need a shower, so."

* * *

 **A/N: *pops in* hi guys, thanks for reading! RL is pretty crazy and this is one of those WIPs I'm writing as I go along, so. Please let me know what you think, if you're still reading. If not, I so understand since I suck. I would like to encourage any of you guys reading to join the Facebook group Pay It Forward, and thank you SO MUCH to TLS for pimping my stories. I appreciate it so much—you guys reading this is like a dream to me. Sigh … anyway, I'll get this next one up ASAP!**


	12. Chapter 11

**A/N: Fran is my beta, and May (2brown-eyes) preread for me :D**

 **Disclaimer: I own nothing.  
**

* * *

 _Are you only in this for sex?_

 _Are you?_

 _Don't answer my question with a question, Swan._

 _I love you_ _._

He didn't reply immediately.

 _Why does this feel like a dream? Why doesn't any of this feel real?_

I paused in search for the right words before composing my reply.

 _Maybe it was meant to be_ _._

"All right, Mommy. Shirt up," Heidi, the ultrasound tech, instructed. I did as I was told and tucked my shirt under my bra. "Is Daddy joining us?"

I shook my head. "He has an important meeting today."

Edward was really disappointed that he couldn't make it. I couldn't deny I was a little sad too. There was a good chance we would find out the sex today and I didn't want to find out without him.

I explained the situation to Heidi, who immediately shook her head when I told her I would wait. "It's no problem. I'll just put it in an envelope for you two to open later if you want."

I beamed at this little piece of information, immediately concocting up the different ways we could unveil it. Did I want my parents to be there? Or would we do it in private? Or could I even make it out of the hospital building without peeking inside the envelope?

"Have you been thinking of any names?" she asked, distracting me from getting any slick ideas as she positioned the wand over my stomach.

I shook my head. "Well, Edward has." I smiled to myself. That dictating bastard thought he was running the show.

 _"Her name is Isabel," he stated, his face calm and impassive._

 _I stared at him for a moment before blurting out, "Fuck you."_

He also thought up names for a boy, too. But I shot down those ideas as well.

 _"Collin."_

 _I lifted an eyebrow. "Collin? You want to name our son Collin Cullen?"_

 _He grinned. He was fucking with me. "It's catchy, right?"_

 _I shook my head. "No way in hell."_

"I was thinking Beverly if it's a girl," I admitted. "I really loved Beverly Cleary growing up. I guess the name sort of stuck with me."

Heidi beamed. "I love that name. It's a classic."

I nodded.

"Does Daddy like the name?" she asked, turning the monitor so I could no longer see. I assumed she was checking out the goods and flitted my eyes to the ceiling.

"He doesn't know … yet."

Heidi smiled. "Okay, Mommy. I'm going to write this down on a piece of paper for you." She turned her back to me and I assumed she scribbled down the sex on the notepad before she folded it and tucked it into an orange envelope. "And whenever you and the father are ready, you can go ahead and take a look. Sound good?"

I smiled excitedly and took the envelope from her. She handed me a towel to wipe the goo off my belly as she shut off the machine.

"What if it's a boy?" she asked, and her teasing smile was torture. I wanted to look in the envelope and find out immediately. "What name would you have for him?"

I narrowed my eyes at her. "You don't play fair."

She laughed. "I'm sorry, I know the anticipation must be killing you. Whatever you do, make sure you don't peak."

I glowered at her. "You're the devil."

.

.

.

After my appointment, I wasn't sure what to do with myself. I'd requested the day off work and was free for the rest of the afternoon. I knew Edward would be starting a new class soon so I decided to stop by the university and listen in on his lecture.

I trailed the halls until I found his room, stopping just outside the door to peer inside.

I smiled at the sight of him. My nerdy professor was wearing a buttoned down flannel with his sleeves rolled up to his elbows, dark denim jeans, and his glasses. He seemed so animated, moving his arms around as if he were describing a scene.

My curiosity had the best of me, so I cracked open the door to listen in.

"… What life's about, right? Trying to figure out who you are—" he paused to take a drink from a water bottle sitting on his desk before taking a seat at the corner of it "—I know all you guys didn't just join this class to hear me drone on and on about Shakespeare."

The room filled with chuckles. I smiled. "We're romantics at heart. You can try and deny it, but it's always going to be there. It's embedded in our DNA."

"Are you saying you're a romantic, professor?" A girl asked, leaning forward to smile up at him pushing her chest out and batting her eyelashes up at him.

"Me?" Edward asked, pointing to himself. "No. I'm an English Professor." He paused before he outstretched his arms, a knowing grin spreading across his face. "Of course, I am. How do you think I fell in love with books?"

My eyes went back to the girl. She was still starry-eyed and beaming at him.

Actually, most of the class was. It seemed all of the ladies we're sighing in their seats.

But Edward, oblivious to his charm, turned around to face the whiteboard, having not a clue how much he'd affected all of them. "I can't try and change your mind about reading. If you don't like it, well …" he paused. "I'd tell you not to, but that would mean you dropping my class, and I'm sure your parents wouldn't be too pleased to hear that. By all means, do whatever you want. But, if you find yourself enjoying something, embrace it. Don't be shy and pretend to be appalled by the romantic literature I assign you to read. I'm talking to you, Eric." He pointed to a guy who seemed to be falling asleep in the front row. The room filled with chuckles. Eric sunk low in his seat, embarrassed.

I laughed quietly.

"Ignore this preconceived notion that reading some classic literature is going to kill you with boredom. If you come in here with that attitude, soon enough you'll find yourself hating everything I assign you to read. Open up your mind." He touched the marker to his forehead. "Life is short. If you're going to stay up all night reading Shakespeare because old Professor Cullen told you to, you might as well try to understand it to the best of your ability. Enjoy it."

I swore I heard the girls sigh, and the one from earlier fell further into her desk as she checked out his ass. I felt a hiss at my tongue, one that immediately caught the attention of the boy Edward addressed earlier. His eyes met mine and he brought his hand to his mouth, muffling a cough.

"Cullen, I think you have a visitor," he said in a deep orotund as if speaking into a megaphone. My eyes widened and I attempted to slip away but found myself being yanked back, as my bag became trapped on the other side of the door and the strap was holding me prisioner.

"Shit," I muttered. I contemplated just removing the strap and making a run for it. I started to do just that when I remembered the envelope was inside. "Dammit."

The door slowly reopened and Edward assisted me in getting my bag free.

"I'm sorry," I rushed out as he joined me in the hall. "I just thought I'd drop by and I saw that girl looking at you like she wanted to be your next wife and I hissed for some reason."

As I rambled, Edward's eyebrows shot up in amusement.

"I didn't think it would come out, maybe it was just instinct or something? I don't know. That was really inappropriate. I shouldn't have come."

"Bella," he said, stepping closer to me.

"You're really good at this. I mean, I've seen you teach before, I just never … I don't remember you being so brave," I stated. I grimaced then. "You just … you looked like you belonged up there, you know?"

His lips twitched at the corners.

"You really have a knack for making people listen," I babbled. I couldn't make it stop. "You know, it's crazy, everyone was just ... you just dazzle them, and they listen."

He sported a full smirk. "Really? It doesn't seem to be working on you."

"Sorry, I'll shut up now." I pretended to zip my mouth closed and grabbed his hand to give him the imaginary key. "There."

He gazed at me for a full ten seconds, and it took everything in me to keep my mouth shut. "You're adorable," he muttered finally reaching up to tuck a curl behind my ear. My heart seemed to skip a beat and I suddenly forgot all about using words.

"Did you go to your appointment?" he asked, furrowing his brows as he checked me over as if he expected me to be in hospital gown post-ultrasound.

I shook my head. "I-I went."

His concern grew more. "Is anything wrong? Is the baby okay? Shit," he sighed out. He stepped back and placed his hand on his forehead. "I'm sorry. I should've come."

"What? No!" I shook my head. "No, everything's fine. I went to the doctor and everything is great. The baby is good. You didn't have to come."

He dropped his arm, relief washing over his face. "Oh. Thank God."

I nodded.

"You didn't find out … ?" he asked, lifting his eyebrows, a glint of hope in his eyes.

I smiled and shook my head. "Not yet."

He sighed and reached up to run a hand through his hair. "Next time, I promise. I'll be there. When is your next appointment?"

"Two weeks," I answered.

He brought his bottom lip between his teeth. I fought a smirk. He was just as eager to find out as I was.

"Have lunch with me?" he asked, his eyes hopeful. "I have fifteen minutes left. You can sit in and listen. Since I'm such a good talker." He winked.

I nodded. "Sure."

.

.

.

"So … you'll do it?"

I popped a cherry sour in my mouth, ignoring the heartburn lingering in my chest from my earlier brunch. I was being a pig but I didn't care; Cherry Sours had become my life.

"I'm working," I muttered, closing the tab I'd opened for perusing Facebook hours earlier. I was writing an editorial on dating; something my boss seemingly considered me a connoisseur on. I couldn't say whether I was offended or flattered by the insinuation.

"You're single, Bella," Victoria had told me. She smiled at me with that cunning little glint in her eyes. "Come up with a little something that the single ladies can relate to. We've been publishing all these relationship articles and ignoring all of our lonely readers."

Victoria's C.R.B.F aside, I knew she had a point. _Twilight Times_ didn't focus on the dating world; it covered a wide variety of topics. It was one of the reasons I cared so much about my job; the opportunities were endless. I wasn't sentenced to one thing, I could travel and cover places all over the world if Victoria approved. She loved to spice the magazine up with new ideas, and the past year every issue seemed to be "Ten Signs He's Losing Interest" and "Finding Your Inner Diva". We needed to bring the magazine back to life.

Maybe my romantic could write something for me…

"You're not working," Rose huffed, and I noticed Angela peeping her head over the receptionist desk to check on us. She gave Rose a pointed look, which she ignored. Rose should've left a while ago, but she had no regard for the rules of the workplace and stood her ground when Angela shot her glares. She was relentless.

I cleared my throat, preparing it for another mouthful of sugary candy. "Shouldn't you be at home? Where are the kids?"

"They're on an adventure with the babysitter," she answered, shrugging. "McDonald's Playland."

McDonald's sounded amazing. "Would you mind running and getting me a ten piece—"

She took the Cherry Sours from my hand and I frowned. "I thought you were off Friday nights. Emmett and I wanted to get some alone time, you know?"

I sighed. For the past ten minutes, Rose has been pleading with me to watch her kids Friday night while she and Emmett went on a date. I didn't know how to properly let her down by telling her that _I_ was already going on a date.

"I'm going out," I finally admitted.

Her face fell. "What?"

I nodded and turned my head away. "I'm going out."

"Out … as in …?"

"As in, going outside of the house. I have plans."

"But you're pregnant..."

"And …?" I raised an eyebrow.

Her eyebrows shot up. "But 'going out' usually suggests you're going with Edward to the bar and drinking until you can't walk straight."

"I don't always go to the bar." A part of me wished it were a bar we were going to. Maybe some alcohol would ease the awkwardness between us. Would there be awkwardness? God, I hoped not.

She waited for further explanation, and when I didn't bother providing one, she slid off my desk to move her face a mere, uncomfortable few inches from mine.

"What are you doing?"

"Reading you."

"Reading me?"

"I'm a mom, Bella. Which means I'm also a human lie detector."

"You're strange."

"I'm strange? You have six Cherry Sours sitting on the left side of your mouth." Huh? I counted them with my tongue.

She was right.

I chewed them. "Weirdo. Who counts how many items I put in my mouth?"

"Moms." She finally pulled away with a sigh. "I will find out what you're hiding, Bella."

I smirked at her as I reached for the bag she was holding and popped another candy in my mouth. "Mm, sure you will."

Her eyes went to my stomach. "So, when is the big reveal?"

I forced the candy down my throat and coughed, reaching for my water to chase it down. "I'm going to surprise Edward. He doesn't know I know. Well, I don't know. But you know what I mean."

She beamed at me. "Can I look?"

I shook my head, no. "You can find out when everybody else does," I smirked, loving that I had the power to hold this information from her. I couldn't lie about this since I technically didn't know. "Maybe we'll do the whole cake reveal thing."

Rose shook her head at me. "I don't know how you haven't peeked yet. I would've looked hours ago. No, I would've looked yesterday. What are you waiting for?"

I bit my lip. I couldn't tell her my plan without giving myself—or Edward and me—away. So I scooted around the truth. "We just haven't had the right moment yet."

She rolled her eyes and hopped off the desk. "Right moment? Keep waiting around for the right moment and you'll find you've wasted your life away."

Her statement was overdramatic, but I knew she had a point. I waited for 'moments' all the time. I shook my head to myself.

 _Weak excuse for a human being._

"Don't get all broody!" she exclaimed, reaching over to pinch my puffed cheek. "You decided you wanted a baby and didn't wait for that, so what am I saying? You obviously have some sense of reasonable timing. Since your—um—biological clock is ticking and all."

I flipped her off.

She smirked. "No thanks. I'll see you later. No, thank you for not sharing the sex of your baby, by the way. I'll get it out of you one way or another."

I hummed. "No thanks. That's the doctor's job."

"Oh yes. Doctor Sexy," she said in breathy whisper, wagging her eyebrows. I nodded. Dr. Greene was cute. Hot. Godlike, even. But I wasn't as attracted to him as I was when we first met. Maybe him checking out the cooch rubbed off on me?

I snorted to myself. Victoria popped her head in and noticed Rose sitting on my desk. "Everything all right?"

I nodded. "Rose was just leaving. She dropped off lunch."

Victoria's eyes went to the bag of Cherry Sours sitting on my desk then flitted them back at Rose. "Next time, let the rest of the office know. We love lunch."

I smiled as she walked off and Rose stuck her tongue out in her direction. She turned to me and rolled her eyes. "Go on, write your article. Talk about how glorious it is to be single when you're thirty."

She hugged me and pecked my cheek, disappearing before she could catch my sarcastic laugh. Angela looked up at the sound and I blushed, embarrassed.

"I'm fine," I whispered. She smiled at me.

"Sure," she said, and her eyes went to my candy. "Are you hungry? Want me to get you lunch or something?"

I contemplated it a moment before I nodded vehemently.

.

.

.

Date night.

It sounded so strange. But there wasn't anything strange about it, was there? Because here I sat, at a restaurant, with my _date,_ and nothing about it seemed off. Well, not exactly. Things were different.

There were looks.

And compliments, and more looks.

And nothing about it was indistinguishable, and I wouldn't even dare to say it was awkward.

But maybe that was all in my head.

"You look gorgeous." A soft giggle followed.

"You look hot."

"Stop. I'll blush."

"I'd love to see you blush."

"I was paying you a compliment and you turn it around to make it about me."

Edward met my eyes and his lips twitched at the corner. The couple behind us continued to ramble on.

"Are you flirting with me?"

"I would never flirt with you."

The girl huffed. I smiled at Edward. "Oh, but you'll flirt with the waitress?"

"She isn't my friend," the boy said. "I don't flirt with friends."

I leaned into Edward and he leaned toward me, meeting me halfway. My eyes went straight to his lips. He was freshly shaved and smelled amazing. All Edward. When his lips twitched again, I forced myself to look into his eyes.

"Did you hire them for entertainment?" I questioned.

He blinked and looked over his shoulder. "No, but I think I know the girl."

I rolled my eyes. Edward knew everybody. He was like a grandpa; you went to the store with him and everyone there knew who he was and wanted to have an hour-long conversation with him.

I blame it on the eyes. Everyone loves his eyes.

I found myself laughing and Edward raised his brows. "Something funny?"

I shook my head and had to tell myself he couldn't read my mind, I was coming off like a crazy person laughing like this.

Edward smiled, though, never minding my crazies, as he pulled back to eat his food.

"I'm glad you're laughing," he said. "I was worried you were going to act out."

I composed myself. "Act out?"

He nodded slowly and pursed his lips, meeting my eyes. "Last weekend gave me that impression."

"Oh?" I forked some Chicken Alfredo. "Why?"

I was playing dumb. I knew damn well why. Me and my twelve-year-old hormone-addled mind were getting me nowhere but trouble.

As I chewed, he continued. "Well, you didn't seem to take me seriously, for one." I nodded, watching him intently. _This shows maturity,_ I told myself. "And also … you seem to just be interested in getting in my pants."

I dropped my fork with a loud _clank._ "What?"

He rolled his eyes. "Are you really going to deny it? Because I can give you a play-by-play if you'd like."

"Not everything revolves around your dick, professor," I stated, composing a glare I could hardly manage to keep. Finally, I gave it up and sighed. "I'm sorry. I know I acted … inappropriate."

His eyes danced between mine. _If my heart could sigh …_ "Are you kidding?" He reached out to palm my cheek. Is he a cheek-palmer now? Was he a cheek-palmer before? I couldn't remember, my brain was cloudy. "Bella, I'd be worried if you didn't act inappropriately. You're just crazy, I get that. It's you."

Words every girl wants to hear. _Swoon._

"I guess I thought it was funny? We've already had sex," I reminded him. I enjoyed just throwing that fact out there. It brought back a rush of memories of him posed above me, slamming—

He groaned. It was drawn out, a mixture of frustration and desire, and it made the girl behind us turn around.

I flushed and covered my face with my hands. "You're embarrassing … but please record that sound for me."

He chuckled. "You're all over the place, Bella. See? This is why we have to go slow." I dropped my hand to look at him. "You're already three steps ahead of me. It's like you've been waiting for the day I asked you out."

At his words, my eyes dropped to my lap and the blood rushed from my face down to my neck and through my ears.

I wouldn't look up for a full two minutes, and when I did peek at his facial expression, I averted my eyes right back to my lap.

"Are you … ?" he exclaimed, and I bit my lip. "Bella … look at me."

When I refused to look up, he grasped my chin to try and make me. I still looked down. "Did you want me to date you?" he whispered, and I felt his breath over my face. "Did you really think about us being together?"

Maybe he could read it on my face because he dropped the hand holding it. Curious, I looked up to see he'd closed his eyes and clenched his jaw.

"Of course, I have," I answered finally. He opened his eyes to meet mine. "I mean, isn't that obvious? We've been friends for over a decade. Didn't you ever think about me? Didn't you ever entertain the thought of being with me?"

I stared into his green eyes as they pooled with a mixture of sorrow and wonder. His lips pulled back into a small smile.

"All the time," he whispered.

I didn't like the look in his eyes, so I reached between us for my purse. His eyebrows furrowed as I pulled out the envelope and set it between us.

"What's this? A love letter?" he teased, then paled when I tilted my head to the side.

"I wanted us to find out at the right moment, but I'm not really good with moments, so maybe you can tell me." I pushed the envelope toward him. My hands started shaking uncontrollably and I had to shove them under the table to keep my nerves from getting the best of me.

Edward picked it up and removed the slip of paper, only to flash it to me when he discovered there was nothing written on it. All that was there was a sticky note.

A pink sticky note.

"What does this mean?" he asked, clearly confused, and I felt like an ass for not explaining it before. My eyes filled with tears and I smiled to let him know I was okay.

"Um, I guess that means we're having a girl," I answered, or choked out. I couldn't really speak properly; my voice was so filled with emotion.

Edward's jaw had dropped in surprise before a widebroad smile spread across his face. "Are you serious?"

I nodded. "Unless I'm colorblind. Is that pink?"

Edward nodded and continued to stare at me. "It's pink."

I took a shaky breath, even though I was no longer anxious, just filled with joy. Edward surprised me as he pushed out of his chai and grasped my hand, pulling me out of my own chair to envelop me in his arms.

I sighed into his chest.

"We're having a girl," he repeated. He pulled back an inch and took my face between his hands, brushing his thumbs over my cheeks. I realized he was wiping away tears. He smiled so wide and stared down at me. I waited, wondering if he would kiss me as he seemed to surprise me when he was so ecstatic. Instead, he dropped to his knees in front of the entire restaurant and kissed my belly.

I laughed and blushed, combing my hands through his hair. It wasn't exactly what I'd hoped for, but the gesture was equally as intimate.

I couldn't have asked for a better moment.

* * *

 **Hello ... *looks around* are you guys still with me? Thanks for sticking around waiting for my slow ass! I have more coming for these two, so it's not over yet :D  
**


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